The story of the Glittering Plain which has been also called the Land of Living Men or the Acre of the Undying

m

H

I

•'•' Jf. ^^■''^'

RARE BOOK
COLLECTION

THE UNIVERSITY OF

NORTH CAROLINA

LIBRARY

From the Library of
Burton Emmett

•A

CLEARANCE CATALOGUE OF OLD BOOKS.

69

637. Maud, a Monodrama, by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Printed in Golden type, in black and red. Witli
ivoodcut title and borders. Svo. Limp vellum. 1893.

S45.00 net

^^One of 500 copies. Sold for $iio.oo at the French Sale.
This is the first of the ^vo books with a woodcut title.

638. Sidonia the Sorceress. By William Meinhold.
Translated by Francesca Speranza, Lady Wilde.
Printed in Golden type, in l)lack and red, with
border. 4to. Limp vellum. 1893. $48-00 net

^^W^One of 300 copies. Sold for SSs-oo at Bang's Sal^
in 1900.

639. The Story of the Glittering Plain, which has
also been called the Land of Living Men or the
Acre of the Undying. Written by William Morris.
Printed in Troy type, in black and red, with list
of chapters in Chaucer type. With borders, wood-

, cut title and 23 designs by Walter Crane, engraved
^>^ nnwood by A. Lcverett. 4to. Limp vellum. 1894.

i^^

9^.

<lS^One of is°,copies.
The borders in this hook.

Sold for S70.00 at the French Sale,
as well as the ten half-borders, are

here used for the first time.

642. The Life and Death of Jason. A Poem. By
William Morris. Printed in Troy type, in black
and red. With borders and two illustrations, de-
signed by Sir E. Burne-Jones, and engraved on
wood by W. Spiebiieyer. 4to. Limp vellum. 1895.

S60.00 net I

f^W^One of 200 copies. Sold for S75.00 at the French Sale.
The text of this edition was revised by the author.

643. Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair.

By William Morris. Printed in Chaucer type, in
black and red. With borders and woodcut title.
2 vols. Broad iSmo. Boards, linen backs. 1S95.

$22.50 net

^^^One of 600 copies. Brought S.55.00 at the French Sale.
The plot of the story was suggested by that of Havclok the Dane,
printed by the Early English Text Society.

644. Poems Chosen out of the Works of Robert
Herrick. Edited bv F. S. Ellis. Printed in Golden
type, in black and red. With borders and woodcut
title. Svo. Limp vellum. 1895. 855.00 «e(

!^^^^One of 250 copies. Sold for $90.00 at the French Sale.

645. The Tale of Beowulf. Done out of the Old
English tongue by Willianr Morris and A. J.
Wyatt. Printed in Troy type, in black and red.
with .Argument, Side-notes, List of persons and
places, and Glossary in Chaucer type. With bor-
ders and woodcut title. 4to. Limp vellum. 1895.

$27.00 net

\l^^^One of 300 copies. Sold for S50.00 at the French Sale.
The borders in this book were only used once again, in the Jason.

646. The Well at the World's End. By William
Morris. Printed in Chaucer type, in black and
red. With 4 wood engravings, designed by Sir E.
Burne-Jones, and borders. 4to. Limp vellum.
1896. $60.00 ncl

^^^One of 250 copies. Sold at the French Sale for $112.50. /
Neither the borders in this book nor six out of the seven frames'
round the illustrations appear in any other book. j

640. The Poems of John Keats. Edited by F. S.
Ellis. Printed in Golden type, in black and red,
with borders and woodcnt title. Svo. Limp vellum.
1S94. S90.00 net

^^^^Onc of 300 c'pies. Sold for SiSo oo at the French
Sale.

641. The Wood Beyond the World. By William
Morris. Printed in Chaucer type, in black and
red. With a frontispiece designed by Sir E. Bitrne-
Jones, and engraved on wood, by W. Spielmeyer,
and borders. Svo. Limp vellum. 1894.

$?6.oo net

Jne of 350 copies. Sold for S90.00 at the French Sale.

This book, delayed for various reasons, was longer on hand
than any other of the Kelmscott works. It zoas announeod
on no less than twelve lists from December, 1S92, to November.
1S95, as "in tlie press." Tlte eight borders, and six different
ornaments between the columns, appear here for the first time.

647. Same. Presentation copy with autograph of
William Morris. $95.00 net

UIW^ Presentation copy, with tlie author's autograph in ink
on fly-leaf as follows: "to Kate Faulkner from William Morris
June %th, 1896."

648. The Earthly Paradise. By William Morris.
Printed in Golden type, in black and red, with
borders. 8 vols. Large Svo. Limp vellum. 1S96,
etc. $89.00 net

^^^^One of 225 copies. Sold for S160.00 at the French
Sale. Vol. I. was the first book printed on the paper with the
apple water-mark. Tlie seven other volumes followed it at
intervals of a few months. None of the ten borders used in
the Earthly Paradise appear in any other book.

649. Laudes Beatce Mariae Virginis. Latin Poems
taken from a Psalter written in England about
A. D. 1220. Edited by S. C. Cockerell. Printed
in "troy type in black, red and blue. 4to. Boards,
linen back. 1896. %2'j.oo net

%^W^One of 250 copies. Sold for S55.00 at tlie French Sale.
Tnis was tlie first book printed at the Kelmscott Press in three
colors. The verses have been ascribed to Stephen Langton.
Archbislwp of Canterbury, who died in 122S.

/550. Some German Woodcuts of the Fifteenth Cen-
tury. Being 35 reproductions from books that 'were
in the library of William Morris. Edited, with a
list of the principal woodcut books in that library,
by S. C. Cockerell. Printed in Golden type, in red
and black. 4to. Boards, linen back. 1897.

^ ^^One of 225 copies. Sold for S40.00 at the French Sa^^.

" The illustrations are of the same size as the original cuts.

651. The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall
of the Niblungs. By William Morris. Printed m
Chaucer type, in red and black, the title and head-
ings to the four books in Troy type. With borders
and two illustrations designed by Sir E. Burne-
Jones. Large 4to. Limp vellum. 1898. $77.50 jzfi

^^^^One of 160 copies. Sold for S155.00 at the French
Sale. The two borders used in this book were almost the last
that Mr. Morris designed.

70^

William Morris, speaking of the Kelmscott Press, and the beautiful books printed there, once said:
"I began printing books with the hope of producing some which would have a definite claim to beauty,
while at the same time thev should be easy to read and should not dazzle the eye, or trouble the intel-
lect of the reader bv excentricity of fonn in the letters. I have always been a great admirer of the
calligraphy of the Middle Ages, and of the earlier printing which took its place. As to the fifteenth
century books, I had noticed that they were always beautiful by force of the mere typography, even,
without the added ornament, with which many of them are so lavishly supplied. And it was the
essence of my undertaking to produce books which it would be a pleasure to look upon as pieces of
printing and arrangement of type."

'1

ikL% ,

A a> ( ,1,. _

■^■•-1^ ,

■V ^.■ii.,^ ; :.,.'4i

i\L.% , |\y^^ f1iV«/Y?\i X^i(j. \i^ t

I

^ ^ rne sroRY of rne GLXxrxreRiNG
pLHXjsf canicn nns BeejVHLSo CHLLeo
rne lhjs^d of Livijsfc iMejsr or rne
HCRe Of €ne a)s[DYi]Nf(3.aiRt€€e)s by

OlXLLXHJVl JMORRIS.

H usr Of xiRe cRHpreas of rms book.

I. Of tboscXTbrcc who came unto Rallblitbc to tbc Rouse

of tbeRaven,p.i
H. evil tidings come to band at Cleveland, p. 5
Xtt. X^bc QIarriors of tbe Raven searcb tbe seas, p. 10
XV. J^ow hallblitbe taketb tbe sea, p. 13
V. tTbcv come unto tbe Isle of Ransom, p. 17
VX. Of a Dwelling of )VIan on tbe Xsle of Ransom, p. 29
VXX. H feast in tbe Xsle of Ransom, p. 37
VXXX. Rallblitbe taketb sbip again away from tbe Xsle of
Ransom, p. 50
XX. T^bey come to tbe Land of tbe Glittering plain, p. 55
X.t^bey bold converse witb folk of tbe Glitteringplain,

p. 65
XX. XTbe Sea/eagle renewetb bis life, p.71
XXX. tTbcy look on tbe King of tbe Glittering plain, p.77
XXXX. Rallblitbe beboldetb tbe woman wbo lovetb bim, p. 84
XXV. Rallblitbe bas speecb witb tbe King again, p. 91
XV. Yet Rallblitbe speaketb witb tbe King, p. 98
XVX.tTbose tbree go tbeir ways to tbe edge of tbe Glitter-
ing plain, p. 103
XVXX. Rallblitbe amongst tbe Mountains, p. 110
XVXXX. FJallblitbe dwelletb in tbe wood alone, p. 123
XXX. fjallblitbe builds bim a skiff, p. 130
XX. So now sailetb RallbUtbe away from tbe Glittering

plain, p. 139
XXX. Of tbe f igbt of tbe Cbampions in tbe Rail of tbe

Ravagers, p. 152
XXXX. XTbey go from tbe Xsle of Ransom and come to
Cleveland by tbe Sea, p. 170

z^^

rne sxtory of rne eurreaiNc^^^
pLHXjs OR t:ne LHjsfo of Lxviisfe ivie)^

Chapter 1* Of those Three who came un to Rallblithe
to the Rouse of the Raven ^^

RHS been told that there was once a
young man of free hindred and whose
name was RallbUthe : he was fair, strong,
and not untried in battle ; he was of the
House of the Raven of old time ^ This

s\

i^>''/"%

man loved an exceeding fair damsel called the Hos-
tage, who was of the Rouse of the Rose, wherein
it was right and due that the men of the Raven
should wed. She loved him no less, and no man of
the kindred gainsaid their love, and they were to be
wedded on Midsummer Plight.

WZ one day of early spring, when the
days were yet short <^ the nights long,
Rallblithc sat before the porch of the
house smoothing an ash stave for his
spear, & he heard the sound of horse-
hoofs drawing nigh, and he looked up
and saw folk riding toward the house, and so pre-
sently they rode through the garth gate; and there
was no man but he about the house, so he rose up
and went to meet them, and he saw that they were
but three in company : they had weapons with them,
and their horses were of the best; but they were no
fellowship for a man tobeafraidof ;fortwoof them
were old and feeble, and the third was dark and sad,
and drooping of aspect : it seemed as if they had
ridden far and fast, for their spurs were bloody and
their horses all a/sweat j^Hallblithe hailed them
kindly and said: '' Y^ ^^^ wayworn, and maybe ye
have to ride further; so light down and come into
the house, and take bite and sup, and hay and com
also for your horses ; and then if ye needs must ride
on your way, depart when ye are rested ; or else if ye
may, then abide here night/ long, and go your ways
to/morrow, and meantime that which is ours shall
be yours, and all shall be free to you/' tlhen spake
the oldest of the ciders in a high piping voice and
said:

^.,^^^.K

^^ilJOClJVG man, wc thank tbcc; but though the
^yi days of the springtide are waxing, the hours
aj^l of our lives are waning; nor may we abide un/
less thou canst truly tell us that this is the Land of
the Glittering plain: and if that be so, then delay
not, lead us to thy lord, and perhaps he will make
us content'' j(^ Spake he who was somewhat less
stricken in years than the first :''rihanks have thout
but we need something more than meat and drink,
to wit the Land of Living JMen, Hnd Oht but the
time presses ''j!? Spake the sad & sorry carle: ''Qle
seek the Land where the days are many: so many
that he who hath forgotten how to laugh, may learn
the craft again, and forget the days of Sorrow."
RSJS they all three cried aloud and said: ''Is
this the Land ? Is this the Land?'' J^ But
Hallblithe wondered, and he laughed and
said : "■ Wayfarers, look under the sun down the
plain which lieth betwixt themountainsand the sea,
and ye shall behold the meadows all gleaming with
the spring lilies; yet do we not call this the Glitter-
ing plain, but Cleveland by the Sea. Here men die
when their hour comes, nor know 1 if the days of
their life be long enough for the forgetting of sor/
row; for 1 am young and not yet a yokefellow of
sorrow; but this X know, that they are long enough
for the doing of deeds that shall not die. Hnd as
for Lord, X know not this word, for here dwell we,
the sons of the Raven, in good fellowship, with our
wives that we have wedded, and our mothers who
have borne us, and our sisters who serve us. Hgain
X bid you light down off your horses, and eat and
drink, and be merry; & depart when ye will, to seek

3

what land yc will" j!^ ITbey ecarce looked on bim,
but cried out together mournfully: ''^bie is not
tbe Land! ^bis is not tbe Landt"j(^]^o more tban
tbat tbey eaid, but turned about tbeir borses and
rode out through tbe garth gate, & went clattering
up the road tbat led to tbe pass of tbe mountains.
But r)allblitbe hearkened wondering, till the sound
of their horse/boof s died away, & then turned back
to bis work: and it was then two hours after high-
noon.

re*

f^

Iv^f

Chapter H. Svil tidings come to band at Cleve-
land^^

OT long bad be worked ere be
beard tbe sound of borse/boof s
once more, and be looked not
up, but said to bimself, ''It is
but tbe lads bringing back tbe
teams from tbe acres, and riding
fast and driving bard for joy
of beart and in wantonness of

youtb^'j^But tbe sound grew nearer and be look-
ed up and saw over tbe turf wall of tbe gartb tbe

flutter of white raiment; and be said: **]^ay, it is
the maidens coming bach from tbe sca/sborc and
tbe gathering of wrack "jj^ So be set bimself the
harder to his worh, and laughed, all alone as he
was, and said: ''She is with them: now 1 will not
look up again till they have ridden into tbe garth,
and she has come from among them, and leapt off
her horse and cast her arms about my neck as her
wont is; & it will rejoice her then to mock me with
hard words and kind voice and longing heart; and
1 shall long for her and kiss her, and sweet shall
the coming days seem to us: and tbe daughters of
our folk shall look on and be kind and blithe with
us" jl^tlberewitb rode the maidens into tbe garth,
but he heard no sound of laughter or merriment
amongst them, which was contrary to their wont;
and his heart fell, and it was as if instead of tbe
maidens' laughter the voices of those wayfarers
came back upon the wind crying out, ''Is this the
Land? Is this the Land?''jbOen he looked up
hastily, and saw the maidens drawing near, ten of
the Rouse of the Raven, and three of the House of
tbe Rose; and he beheld them that their faces were
pale and woe/ begone, and their raiment rent, and
there was no joy in them, nallblithe stood aghast
while one who had gotten off her horse (and she
was the daughter of his own mother) ran past him
into tbe ball, looking not at him, as if she durst
not: & another rode off swiftly to the borse/stalls.
But tbe others, leaving their horses, drew round
about him, and for a while none durst utter a word ;
and he stood gazing at them, with tbe spoke/shave
in his band, be also silent; for he saw that the Ros-
6

tagc was not with tbcm, and be knew that now be
was tbe yokefellow of sorrow JS Ht last be spoke
gently and in a kind voice, and said: ''TIell me, sis-
ters, wbat evil batb befallen us, even if it be tbe deatb
of a dear friend, & tbe tbing tbat maynot beamend-
cd'^ji^Cben spoke a fair woman of tbe Rose, wbose
name was Brigbtling, and said: ** Hallblitbe, it is
not of deatb tbat we bave to tell, but of sundering,
wbicb may yet be amended, ^e were on tbe sand of
tbe sea nigb tbe Sbip/stead and tbe Rollers of tbe
Raven, and we were gatbering tbe wrack & playing
togetber; &wesawaround/sbip nigbtosbore lying
witb ber sbeet slack, and ber sail beating tbe mast;
but we deemed it to be none otber tban some bark
of tbe f isb/biters, and tbougbt no barm tbereof ,
but went on running and playing amidst tbe little
waves tbat fell on tbe sand, and tbe ripples tbat
curled around our feet. Ht last tbere came a small
boat from tbe side of tbe round/sbip, and rowed
in toward sbore, and still we feared not, tbougb we
drew a little aback from tbe surf and let fall our
gown/bems. But tbe crew of tbat boat beacbed ber
close to wberc we stood, and came bastily wading
tbe surf toward us ; <Si we saw tbat tbey were twelve
weaponed men, great, and grim, & all clad in black
raiment. TIbcn indeed were we afraid, and we turned
about and fled up tbe beacb ; but nowitwas too late,
for tbe tide was at more tban balf ebb and longwas
tbe way over tbe sand to tbe place wbere we bad left
our borses tied among tbe tamarisk/busbes.JVever-
tbeless we ran, & bad gotten up to tbe pebble/beacb
before tbey ran in amongst us: and tbey caugbt us,
and cast us down on to tbe bard stones ^ tiben
b4 7

tbey made us sit in a row on a ridge of the pebbles ;
and we were sore afraid, yet more for defilement at
their hands than for death; for they were evil/look-
ing men exceeding foul of favour. Xthen said one of
them : * ^hich of all you maidens is the Hostage of
the House of the Rose?' IThen all we kept silence,
for wewould not betray her. But the evil man spake
again: 'Choose ye then whether we shall take one,
or all of you across the waters in our black ship.'
Yet still we others spake not, till arose thy beloved,
Onallblithe, andsaid:'Let it be one then, and not
all; for 1 am the Hostage.' 'How shalt thou make
us sure thereof?' said the evil carle. She looked on
him proudly & said: 'Because I say it.' 'Cdilt thou
swear it?' said he. ' Y^^/ ^^^^ she, '1 swear it by the
token of the House wherein I shall wed ; by the wings
of the fowl that seeketh the field of Slaying.' 'It is
enough,' said the man, 'come thou with us. Hnd ye
maidens sit ye there, and move not till we have made
way on our ship, unless ye would feel the point of
the arrow, for we arc within bow-shot of the ship,
and we have shot/weapons aboard.' So the Hostage
departed with them, & she unweeping, but wc wept
sorely. Hnd we saw the small boat come up to the
side of the round/ship, and the Hostage going over
the gunwale along with those evil men, and we heard
the hale and how of the mariners as they drew up
the anchor and sheeted home; and then the sweeps
came out and the ship began to move over the sea.
Hndoncof those cvibminded men bent his bowand
shot a shaft at us, but it fell far short of where we
sat, and the laugh of those runagates came over the
sands to us. So wc crept up the beach trembling,
8

and then rose to our feet & got to our horses, and
rode bitber speedily, and our bearts are broken for
tby sorrow/'

ssxr^l^ tbat word came Hallblitbe's own
sister out from tbe ball; and sbe bore
weapons witb ber, to wit f)allblitbc*s
sword and sbield and belm and bau-
berk^^Hs for bim be turned back si-
lently to bis work, and set tbe steel of
tbe spear on tbe new asben sbaf t, & took tbe bam-
mer and smote tbe nail in, and laid tbe weapon on
'a round pebble tbat was thereby, and clenched the
nail on tbe other side, ^ben be looked about, and
saw tbat tbe other damsel had brought bim his
coal/ black war/ horse ready saddled and bridled;
then be did on bis armour, and girt his sword to
his side and leapt into the saddle, and took his new/
shafted spear in hand & shook tbe rein. But none
of all those damsels durst say a word to bim or ask
him whither be went, for they feared bis face & the
sorrow of bis heart. So he got bim out of the garth
and turned toward tbe sea/shore, and they saw the
glitter of bis spear/ point a minute over the turf-
wall, and beard tbe clatter of his horse/ hoofs as he
galloped over tbe bard way ; and thus he departed.

f^

%-2ikS<.

(^

tm

i^\

Chapter 1X1, VMz Warriors of tbc Raven search the

jRS)^ thewomen bethought them,
and they spahe a word or two to-
gether, & then they sundered and
[went one this way and one that,
to gather together the warriors
of the Raven who were a /field, or
on the way, nigh unto the house,
that they might follow Rallblithe

down to the sea/shore and help him; after a while
they came back again by one and two and three.

bringing with tbcm the wrathful young men; and
when there was upward of a score gathered in the
garth armed and horsed, they rode their ways to the
sea, being minded to thrust a long/ship of the Ra-
vens out over the Rollers into the sea, and follow
the strong /thieves of the waters and bring a/ bach
the Hostage, so that they might end the sorrow at
once, & establish joy once more in the House of the
Raven & the Rouse of the Rose. But they had with
them three lads of fifteen winters or thereabouts to
lead their horses back home again, when they should
have gone up on to the Horse of the Brine.
^■^^HQS then they departed, and the maidens
m^^l stood in the garth/gate till they lost sight
^i^ay^l of them behind the sandhills, & then turn-

ed back sorrowfully into the house, and sat there
talking low of their sorrow. Hnd many a time they
had to tell their talc anew, as folk came into the hall
one after another from field and fell. But the young
men came down to the sea, and found Rallblithe's
black horse straying about amongst the tamarisk
bushes above the beach; & they looked thence over
the sand, and saw neither Rallblithe nor any man :
and they gazed out seaward, and saw neither ship
nor sail on the barren brine. IThen they went down
on to the sand, and sundered their fellowship, and
went half one way, half the other, betwixt the sand-
hills and the surf, where now the tide was flowing,
till the nessesof the east and the west, the horns of
the bay, stayed them.TThen they met together again
by the Rollers, when the sun was within an hour of
setting. XThcre and then they laid hand to that ship
which is called the Seamew, and they ran her down

IT

over tbc Rollers into the waves, & leapt aboard and
hoisted sail, and ran out the oars and put to sea;
& a little wind was blowing seaward from the gates
of the mountains behind them^^So they quartered
the sea/plain , as the kestrel doth the water/meadows,
till the night fell on them, and was cloudy, though
whiles the waning moon shone out; and they had
seen nothing, neither sail nor ship, nor aught else
on the barren brine, save the washing of waves and
the hovering of sea /fowl. So they lay /to outside
the horns of the bay and awaited the dawning. Hnd
when morning was come they made way again, and
searched the sea, and sailed to the out/skerries, and
searched them with care; then they sailed into the
main and fared hither and thither and up & down :
and this they did for eight days, and in all that
time they saw no ship nor sail, save three barhs of
the fish /biters nigh to the Skerry which is called
JVIew/stonej^So they fared home to the Raven Bay,
and laid their keel on the Rollers, and so went their
ways sadly, home to the Rouse of the Raven : and
they deemed that for this time they could do no
more in seeking their valiant kinsman and his fair
damsel Hnd they were very sorry; for these two
were well/beloved of all men. But since they might
not amend it, they abode in peace, awaiting what the
change of days might bring them.

12

Chapter XV>]Vow Rallblitbc tahctb the 9ea>^^
B:J5K^S^5^35SO(n must it be told of nail-
blithe that he rode fiercely down
to the sea shore, & from the top
of the beach he gazed about him,
& there below him was the Ship-
stead and the Rollers of his kin-
dred, whereon lay the three long-
ships, the Seamew, & the Osprey
and the 6me. Heavy and huge they seemed to him

as tbcy lay there, black /eided, icy/cold with the
washing of the )VIarch waves, their golden dragon/
heads looking seaward wistfully. But first had he
peered out into the offing, and it was only when he
had let his eyes come back from where the sea and
6kymet,and they had beheld nothing but the waste
of waters, that he beheld the Ship/stead closely;
and therewith he saw where a little to the west of it
lay a skifl", which the low wave of the tide lifted and
let fall from time to time. It hada mast, and a black
sail hoisted thereon and flapping with slackened
sheet. H man satin the boat clad in black raiment, &
the sun smote a gleam from the helm on his headjj^
XThen nallblithe leapt off his horse, and strode
down the sands shouldering his spear; and when
he came near to the man in the boat he poised his
spear and shook it and cried out: **JVIan, art thou
friend or foe?" J§ Said the man : '^ thou art a fair
young man : but there is grief in thy voice along
with wrath J9 Cast not till thou hast heard me,
and mayst deem whether 1 may do aught to heal
thy grief" j^''<nhat mayst thou do?" said nail-
blithe; ''art thou not a robber of the sea, a harrier
of the folks that dwell in peace?"

n6 man laughed: '*Y^^t" said he, ''my craft
is thieving and carrying ofl^ the daughters
of folk, so that we may have a ransom for

i

them, ^ilt thou come over the waters with me?" ji?
nallblithe said wrathfuUy: ")Vay,rather, come thou
ashore herelXThou seem est a big man, & belike shalt
be good of thine hands. Come and fight with me;
& then he of us who is vanquished, if he be unslain,
shall serve the other for a year, and then shalt thou
H

do my business in tbc ransoming^'j^TTbc man in
tbc boat laugbcd again, and tbat so scornfully tbat
be an gcrcdHallbli tbc beyond measure: tben be arose
in tbc boat and stood on bis feet swaying from side
to side as be laugbcd. Re was passing big, long/
armed & big/beaded, and long bair came from under
bis belm like tbe tail of a red borse; bis eyes were
gray and gleaming, and bis moutb wide.

iJV a wbile be stayed bis laugbter and said : '* O
Warrior of tbeRaven, tbis were a simple game
for tbee to play ; tbougb it is not far from my
mind, for figbting wben I needs must win is
no dull work. Look you, if 1 slay or vanquish
tbee, tben all is said; and if by some cbance stroke
tbou slayest me, tben is tbine only belper in tbis
matter gone from tbee. ]^ow to be sbort, t bid tbee
come aboard to me if tbou wouldst ever bear an-
other word of tby damsel bctrotbed. Hnd moreover
tbis need not binder tbee to figbt witb me if tbou
bave a mind to it thereafter; for we sball soon come
to a land big enough for two to stand on. Or if
thou lis test to fight in a boat rocking on the waves,
Isec not but there may be manhood in tbat also. "
\0m was tbe hot wrath somewhat run off
Rallblithe, nor durst he lose any chance to
hear a word of his beloved ; so he said : '' Big
man,lwillcomeaboard. Butlooktbou toit,if thou
hast a mind to bewray me; for the sons of the Ra-
ven die bard^'^'^OIell," said tbe big man, ''X have
heard that their minstrels are of many words, and
think tbat they have tales to tell. Come aboard and
loiter not.'' tlben nallblithe waded thesurf & light-
ly strode over the gunwale of tbe skiff and sat him

15

down, tibc big man thrust out into the deep and
baled bome tbe ebect; but tbere was but little wind
j^Oen said HaUblitbe: *'<Hilt tbou bave me row,
for 1 wot not wbitberward to steer ?"j!?Said tbe red
carle : '* JVIaybe tbou art not in a burry ; X am not : do
as tbou wilt/' So Hallblitbe took tbe oars and rowed
migbtily,wbile tbealicn steered, &tbey went swiftly
and ligbtly over tbe sea, and tbe waves were little.

16

Chapter VXhcycomcuntotbclslcofRansom^^

O the 6un grew low, and it set;
the stars and the moon sbone a
while and then it clouded over.
Rallblithe still rowed and rested
not, though he was weary; and
the big man sat and steered, and
held his peace j0 But when the
night was grown old and it was
not far from the dawn, the alien said: ''Youngling
of the Ravens, now shalt thou sleep and! will row/'
JS Hallblithe was exceeding weary; so he gave the
oars to the alien and lay down in the stem and slept.

^-,S]SO in bis sleep be dreamed that be was lying
J^tf in tbe Rouse of tbe Raven, and bis sisters
^SIh came to bim and said: ''Rise up now, Rall-

blitbe! wilt tbou be a sluggard on tbe day of tby
wedding? Come tbou witb us to tbe Rouse of tbe
Rose tbat we may bear away tbe Rostage"j?tIben
be dreamed tbat tbey departed, and be arose and clad
bimself : but wben be would bave gone out of tbe
ball, tben was it no longer day ligbt, but moonligbt,
and be dreamed tbat be bad dreamed: nevertbeless
be would bave gone abroad, but migbt not find tbe
door; so be said be would go out by a window; but
tbe wall was bigb and smootb (quite otber tban in
tbe Rouse of tbe Raven, wbere were low windows all
along one aisle), nor was tbere any way to come at
tbem.But be dreamed tbat bewassoabasbed tbere-
at, and bad sucb a weakness on bim, tbat be wept
for pity of bimself: and be went to bis bed to lie
down ; and lo t tbere was no bed and no ball ; nougbt
but a beatb,wild&wide,andempty under tbe moon,
Hnd still be wept in bis dream, and bis manbood
seemed departed from bim, and be beard a voice cry-
ing out: ''Is tbis tbe Land? Is tbis tbe Land?"
P^^n^^ReRemirRHL be awoke, & as bis
eyes cleared be bebeld tbe big man row-
ingand tbe black sail fiappingagainst
tbe mast ; for tbe wind bad fallen dead
and tbey were faring on over a long
smootb swell of tbe sea, It was broad
dayligbt, but round about tbem was a tbick mist,
wbicb seemed none tbe less as if tbe sun were ready
to sbine tbrougb itj^Hs Rallblitbe caugbt tbe red
man's eye, be smiled and nodded on bim and said:
18

'*]Vow has the time come for tbee first to eat & then
to row. But tell me what is that upon tby cheeks?"
j(^r)allblitbc,reddeningsomevvbat,6aid:**^benigbt
dew batb fallen on me^'j^Quotb tbe sea/rover: *'Xt
is no sbame for tbee a youngling to remember tby
betrotbed in tby sleep, and to weep because tbou
laches t ber. But now bestir tbee, for it is later tban
tbou mayst deem'*j(^tlberewitb tbe big man drew
in tbe oars and came to tbe after/ part of tbe boat,
and drew meat & drink out of a locker thereby; and
tbey ate & drank together, & nallblitbe grew strong
and somewhat less downcast; and be went forward
and gat the oars into his bandsj^XTben the big red
man stood up and lookedoverbis leftsboulder and
said: ''Soon shall we have a breeze and bright wea-
ther js^^hen be looked in to tbe midmost of tbe sail
and fell a/whistling such a tune as tbe fiddles play
to dancing men and maids atYule/tide,andhis eyes
gleamed and glittered therewithal, and exceeding big
he lookedj^tben Rallblitbe felt a little air on bis
cheek, and the mist grew thinner, and the sail began
to fill with wind till the sheet tightened: then, lot
tbe mist rising from the face of tbe sea, & tbe sea's
face rippling gaily under a bright sun. Hben the
wind increased and the wall of mist departed and a
few light clouds sped over the sky, & the sail swelled
and the boat heeled over, & tbe seas fell white from
tbe prow, and they sped fast over the face of tbe
waters j^TTben laughed the red/haired man, & said:
**0 croaker on tbe dead branch, now is the wind such
that no rowing of thine may catch up with it: so in
with the oars now, & turn about and tbou shalt see
whitherward we are going/'

C2 19

r)B]S HaUblitbc turned about on tbc
tbwartand loohcd across tbc sea, and
\o t before tbem tbc bigb cliffs & crags
and mountains of a new land wbicb
seemed to be an isle, & tbey were deep
blue under tbc sun, wbicb now sbone
I aloft in tbe mid beaven. He said nougbt at all, but
sat looking and wondering wbat land it migbt be;
but tbe big man said : *' O tomb of warriors, is it not
as if tbe blueness of tbe deep sea bad beaved itself
|up alof t,and turned from coloured air into rock and
istone, so wondrous blue it is? But tbat is because
tbose crags and mountains are so far away, and as
we draw nigber to tbem, tbou sbalt see tbem as tbey
verily are, tbat tbey are coal/blach; and yonder land
is an isle, and is called tbe Isle of Ransom. ITberein
sball be tbe market for tbee wbere tboumayst cbeap-
en tby betrotbed. ^bere mayst tbou take ber by tbe
band and lead ber away tbence, wben tbou bast dealt
witb tbe cbapman of maidens, & bast pledged tbec
by tbe fowl of battle, & tbe edge of tbe fallow blade
to pay tbat wbicb be will bave of tbee/'

SS tbe big man spoke tbere was a mocking in
i bis voice and bis face and in bis wbole buge
n body, wbicb made tbe sword of Rallblitbc
uneasy in bis scabbard; but be refrained bis wratb,
and said: ''Big man, tbe longer 1 look, tbe less X can
tbink bow we are to come up on to yonder island;
for I can see nougbt but a buge cliff, & great moun-
tains rising beyond it "j^'' tbou sbalt tbe more
wonder," said tbe alien, ''tbe nigber tbou drawest
tbereto; for it is not because wc are far away tbat
tbou canst see no beacb or strand, or sloping of
20

i

tbc land seaward, but because tbere is nougbt of all
tbese things. Y^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^ not with tbcc? thou
sbalt come asbore on tbe Isle of Ransom '^j^'Chcn
Rallblitbe beld bis peace, and tbe otbcr spahe not
for a wbile, but gave a short laugh once or twice;
& said at last in a big voice: ''Little Carrion/biter,
why dost thou not ash me of my name?" j^JVow
Hallblitbe was a tall man and a fell fighter; but be
said: ''Because! was thinking of other things and
not of thee "j^" (Hell/' said tbe big man, in a voice
still louder, "when 1 am at home men call me tbe
puny f ox/Xhen Hallblithe said : " Hrt thou a fox ?
tt may well be that thou sbalt beguile me, as such
beasts will; but look to it, that if thou dost 1 shall
know bow to avenge me'' j^XTben rose up the big
man from tbe helm, and straddled wide in tbe boat,
and criedout in a great roaring voice: "Crag/n ester,
1 am one of seven brethren, and tbe smallest and
weakest of them. Hrt thou not afraid?" "]So,''said
Rallblitbe, " for tbe six others are not here. Qlilt
thou fight here in the boat, O fox ? " " )^ay ,'' said fox,
"rather we will drink a cup of wine together/'

O be opened tbe locker again & drew
out thence a great horn of some huge
neat of tbe ou tlands, which was girth-
ed and stopped with silver, and also a
golden cup, and be filled the cup from
the horn and gave it into nallblithe's
hand and said: "Drink, O black/fiedged nestling!
But call a health over the cup if thou wilt."So Rail-
blithe raised tbe cup aloft and cried: " Health to tbe
Rouse of tbe Raven and to them that love it! an ill
day to its focmen I " tibcn he set bis lips to the cup

C3 21

and dranh ; and that wine seemed to bim better and
stronger tban any be bad ever tasted. Butwben be
bad given tbe cup back again to fox, tbat red one
filled it again, and cried over it: *'Xlbc ^Treasure of
tbe Seat & tbe King tbat dietb nott" TIben be drank,
and filled again for Rallblitbe, and steered witb bis
knees meanwbile; and tbus tbey drank tbree cups
eacb, and fox smiled and was peaceful and said but
little, but Hallblitbe sat wondering bow tbe world
was cbanged for bim since yesterday.

G^ now was tbe sky blown all clear
^ of clouds and tbe wind piped sbrill
bebind tbem, & tbe great waves rose
& fell about tbem, & tbe sun glitter-
ed on tbem in many colours, fast flew
tbe boat before tbe wind as tbougb it
would never stop, and tbe day was waning, and tbe
wind still rising; and now tbe Isle of Ransom up-
bove buge before tbem, and coal/black, & no breacb
and no baven was to be seen tberein ; and still tbey
ran before tbe wind towards tbat black clifi'/wall,
against wbicb tbe sea wasbed for ever, and no keel
ever built by man migbt live for one moment 'twixt
tbe surf and tbe cliff of tbat grim land. X3be sun
grew low, and san k red under tbe sea, and tbat world
of s ton e swallowed u p balf tbe beavens before tbem ,
for tbey were now come very nigb tbereto;nor could
Hallblitbe see augbt for it, but tbat tbey must be
dasbed against tbe cliff and perisb in a moment of
time jj^Still tbe boat flew on; but now wben tbe twi/
ligbt was come, and tbey bad just opened up a long
reacb of tbe cliff tbat lay beyond a bigb ness, Rall-
blitbe tbougbt be saw down by tbe edge of tbe sea

22

something darhcr than the face of the roch/wall,
^ and be deemed it was a cave: tbey came a little nearer
\tp and be saw it was a great cave bigb enougb to let
around/sbip go in witb all ber sails set,
^^^0]V of tbe Raven/' quotb fox, ''bearhen, for
{^^^ tby beart is not little, Y<^^^<^cr is tbe gate in-
^^?^ to tbe Isle of Ransom, & if tbou wilt, tbou
fmayst go tbrougb it. Y<^t ^^ "^^V t>e tbat if tbou
goestasboreontotbelslesometbinggrievoussball
befall tbee, a trouble more tban tbou canst bear: a
sbame it may be.JVow tbere are two cboices for tbee:
eitber to go up on to tbe Isle and face all; or to die
bere by my band baving done notbing unmanly or
sbamef ul : CQbat sayest tbou 7'* j0'* XTbou art of
many words wben time so presses, fox,*' said Hall-
blitbe/'Cdby sbouldlnot cboose to go up on to tbe
Island to deliver my trotbpligbt maiden ? for tbe
rest, slay me if tbou canst, if we come alive out of
tbis cauldron of waters" j^ Said tbe big red man :
''Look on tben, and note fox bow be steeretb, as it
were tbrougb a needle's eye/'

TlO^ were tbey undemeatb tbe black

[{ sbadow of tbe black cliff, and amidst

tbe twiligbt tbe surf was tossed about

(''J like wbite firejl^In tbe lower beavens

tbe stars were beginning to twinkle<&

tbe moon was brigbt and yellow, and

aloft all was peaceful, for no cloud sullied tbe sky.

One moment ballblitbe saw all tbis banging above

tbe turmoil of tbundering water and dripping rock

and tbe next be was in tbe darkness of tbe cave, tbe

roaring wind and tbe waves still making tbunder

about bim, tbougb of a different voice from tbe

C4 23

harsh hubbub withou t. Then he heard fox say : '' Sit
down now<Si tahc the oars, for presently shall we be
at home at the landing place *'^ So Rallblithe tooh
the oars and rowed, and as they went up the cave
the sea fell, and the wind died out into the aimless
gustiness of hollow places; & for a little while was
all as dark as dark might be. Then Hallblithe saw
that the darkness grew a little greyer, and he looked
over his shoulder and saw a star of light before the
bows of the boat, and fox cried out: '' Y^^> ^^ ^^ ^^^^
day ; bright will the moon be for such as needs must
be wayfaring to/nightl Cease rowing, O Son of the
coal/blue fowl, for there is way enough on her/'

IRB)^ Hallblithe lay on his oars, and in a
minute the bows smote the land ; then he
turned about and saw a steep stair of stone,
and up the sloping shaft thereof the moonlit sky
and the bright stars J^ Then fox arose and came
forward and leapt out of the boat and moored her
to a big stone : then he leapt back again and said :
** Bear a hand with the victuals ; we must bring them
out of the boat unless thou wilt sleep supperless,
as 1 will not. for to /night must we be guests to
ourselves, since it is far to the dwelling of my peo-
ple, and the old man is said to be a skin /changer, a
fiit/by/night. Hnd as to this cave, it is deemed to be
nowise safe to sleep therein, unless the sleeper have
a double share of luck j(?Hnd thy luck, meseemeth,
O Son of the Raven, is as now somewhat less than
a single share. So to /night we shall sleep under the
naked heaven "j^ Rallblithe yea/said this, and they
took the meat and drink, such as they needed, from
out of the boat, and climbed the steep stair no little

24

•way, & 90 came out on to a plain place, wbicb seem/
ed to Rallblitbc bare <& waste so far as be saw it by
tbe moonligbt ; for tbe twiligbt was gone now, and
|nougbt was left of tbe ligbt of day save a glimmer
in tbe west j0 tlbis Hallblitbe deemed wonderful,
tbat no less out on tbe open beatb and brow of tbe
)land tban in tbe sbut/in cave, all tbat tumult of tbe
wind bad fallen, and tbe cloudless nigbt was calm,
•and witb a little ligbt air blowing from tbe soutb
and tbe landward,

r^=n^^neReaixrnHL was fox done witb

bis loud/voiced braggart mood, and
spohe gently and peaceably like to a
wayfarer, wbo batb business of bis
tolooh to asotber men,]Vowbe point/
ed to certain rocks or low crags tbat
a little way oflP rose like a reef out of tbe treeless
'plain; tben said be: ''Sbipmate,underneatb yonder
rocks is our resting/place for to/nigbt ; and X pray
tbeenot todeem me cburlisb tbat 1 give tbeeno bet/
tcr barbour. But X bave a cbarge over tbee to bring
tbee safe tbus far on tby quest; and tbou wouldst
find it bard to live amongst sucb bouse /mates as
tbou wouldst find up yonder amongst our folk to-
nigbt j^ But to/morrow sbalt tbou come to speecb
witb bim wbo will dealwitb tbee concerning tbe ran/
6om"j(^ '*Xt is enougb," said Rallblitbe, ^* & X tbank
tbee for tby leading : and as for tby rougb and un-
comely words wbicb tbou bast given me, X pardon
tbee for tbem : forXam nonetbe worse of tbem : for/
800 tb, if X bad been, my sword would bave bad a
voice in tbe matter*' J^^'X am well content as it is.
Son of tbe Raven,** quotb fox; ''X bave done my

25

bidding & all is well" j^ Said RaUblitbc: ''rdlmc
tbcn wbo it ie batb bidden tbee bring me bitber?"
**1 may not tell tbee/' said fox; ''tbou art bere, be
content, as 1 am/' Hnd be spahe no more till tbey
bad come to tbe reef aforesaid, wbicb was some two
furlongs from tbe place wbere tbey bad come from
out of tbe cave, XTbere tben tbey set fortbtbeir sup-
per on tbe stones, and ate wbat tbey would, & drank
of tbat good strong wine wbile tbe born bare out.
Hnd now was fox of few words, & wben Rallblitbe
ashed bim concerning tbat land, be bad little to say.
Hnd at last wben Hallblitbe asked bim of tbat so
perilous bouse andtbose wbo manned it, be said to
bim:*'Sonof tbeRaven,itavailsnotaskingoftbese
matters; for if 1 tell tbee augbt concerning tbem 1
sball tell tbee lies. Once again let it be enougb for
tbee tbat tbou bast passed over tbe sea safely on
tby quest ; and a more perilous sea it is f orsootb
tban tbou deemest. But now let us bave an end of
vain words, and make our bed amidst tbese stones
*as best we may; forwesbould be stirring betimes
in tbe morning." Rallblitbe said little in answer, &
tbey arrayed tbeir sleeping places cunningly, as tbe
(bare dotb ber form, and like men well used to lying
\abroad.

HLLBLl^HG was very weary and be
^ soon fell asleep; and as be lay tbere,
I be dreamed a dream, or maybe saw a
vision ; wbetber bewereasleepwben be
saw it, or between sleeping S, waking,
^1 knownot. But tbiswasbis dream or
bis vision; tbat tbe Rostagewasstandingover bim,
and sbe as be bad seen ber but yesterday, brigbt-

26

haired and ruddy/cbcchcd and wbitc/skinncd, hind
of band & eof t of voice, and sbc said to biin : ** Hall-
blitbc, look on me and bcarhen.for 1 bave a message
for tbee/* Hnd be loohedand longed for ber,and bis
soul was ravisbcd by tbe sweetness of bis longing,
and bewould bave leapt upand cast bis arms about
ber, but sleep and tbe dream bound bim, & bemigbt
not, ITben tbe image smiled on bim and said: *' JSay,
my love, lie still, for tbou mayst not toucb me: bere
is but tbe image of tbe body wbicb tbou desirest.
Hearken tben, t am in evil pligbt, in tbe bands of
strong/tbieves of tbe sea, nor know I wbat tbey will
do witb me, and 1 bave no will to be sbamed; to be
sold for a price from one band to anotber, yet to be
bedded witbout a price, & to lie beside some f oeman
of our folk, and be to cast bis arms about me, will X,
will X not: tbis is a bard case. TTberef ore to/morrow
morningat daybreak wbilemensleep,Xtbinkt08teal
f ortb to tbe gunwale of tbe black sbip & give myself
to tbe gods, tbat tbey and not tbese runagates may
be masters of my life and my soul, and may do witb
me as tbey will: for indeed tbey know tbat X may not
beartbestrangekinless bouse. &tbeloveand caress/
ing of tbe alien bouse/master, and tbe mocking and
stripes of tbe alien bouse/mistress. Tlberefore let
tbe Roary One of tbe sea take me and look to my
matters, and carry me to life or deatb, wbicb/so be
will. XTbin now grows tbe nigbt, but be still a little
yet, wbile X speak anotberword.)VIaybewesball meet
aliveagain,andmaybenot:<&if not,tbougbwebave
never yet lain in one bed together, yet X would bave
tbee remember me: yet not so tbat my image sball
come between tbee and tby speecb/fricnd and bed/

27

fellow of tbc kindred, that shall lie where X was to
have lain, Y^^ again, if X live and thou lives t, X have
been told and have heard that by one way or other
X am lihe to come to the Glittering plain , & the Land
of Living jVIen. O my beloved, if by anyway thou
)mightest come thither also, & we might meet there,
& we two alive, how good it were t Seek that Ian d then ,
beloved 1 seek it, whether or no we once more behold
the Rouse of the Rose, or tread the floor of the Ra-
ven dwelling. Hnd now must even this image of me
sunder from thee, farewell!''

\T)SKS^XCT) was the dream done
and the vision departed; and Rall-
blithesatupfuUofanguishandlong/
ing; & he looked about him over the
dreary land, & it was somewhat light
& theskywas grown grey and cloudy,
and he deemed that the dawn was come. So he leapt
to his feet & stooped down over fox, and took him
by the shoulder, and shook him and said: ''faring/
fellow, awake! the dawn is come, and we have much
to do^'j^f ox sat up and growled like a dog, & rub-
bed his eyes and looked about him and said : '* Xlbou
hast waked me for nought: it is the false dawn of
the moon that shineth now behind the clouds and
casteth no shadow ; it is butan hour af termidnight.
Go to sleep again, and let me be, else will X not be
a guide to thee when the day comes." Hnd he lay
down and was asleep at once. XThen Rallblithe went
& lay down again full of sorrow : Yet so weary was
he that he presently fell asleep, & dreamed no more.

28

Chapter VI. Of a Dwelling of JVIan on the Isle of
Raneom^^

RGN be awohe aqain the sun
9boneonbini,and the morning
was calm &windless.Re sat up
& looked about bim, but could
seeno signs of fox save tbe lair
wberein be bad lain.Sobe arose
to bis feet and sougbt for bim
about tbe crannies of tbe rocks,
and found bim not; and be sbouted for bim, & bad
no answer. XLbcn be said, ** Belike be bas gone down

^

to the boat to put a tbingin,or take a tbingout/'So
be went bie ways to tbe stair down into tbe water/
cave, and be called on fox from tbe top of tbe stair,
and bad no answer.

\0 be went down tbat long stair witb a mis-
giving in bis beart,and wben be came to tbe
last step tbere was neitber man nor boat, nor
augbt else save tbe water and tbe living rock. XZbm
wasbeexceedingwrotb,for be knew tbat be bad been
beguiled, and be was in an evil case, left alone on an
Isle tbat be knew not, a waste & desolate land, wbere
it seemed most like be sbould die of famine j^ Re
wasted no breatb or migbt now in crying out for
fox,orseekingbim;forbesaidtobimself:''lmigbt
well bave known tbat be was false & a liar, wbereas,
be could scarce refrain bis joy at my folly & bis guile.
)Vow is it for me to strive for life against deatb'^j!?
TTben be turned and went slowly up tbe stair, and
came out on to tbe open face of tbat Isle, and be saw
tbat it was waste indeed and dreadful; a wilderness
of black sand and stones and ice/borne rocks, witb
bere and tbere a little grass growing in tbe bollows,
and bere and tbere a dreary mire wbere tbe wbite/
tufted rusbes sbook in tbe wind, and bere and tbere
stretcbes of moss blended witb red/blossomed sen -
green ; and otberwbere nougbt but tbe wind/bitten
creeping willow clinging to tbe black sand, witb a
wbitc bleacbed stick and a leaf or two, and again a
stick and a leaf .In tbe offing looking landward were
great mountains, some very great & snow/capped,
some bare to tbe tops; and all tbat was faraway,
save tbe snow, was deep/blue in tbe sunny morning.
Butabout bim on tbe beatbwere scattered rocks like
tbe reef beneatb wbicb be bad slept tbe last nigbt,

30

and peaks, and hammers, and knolls of uncouth
shapesjj^then he went to the edge of the cliffs and
looked down on the sea which lay wrinkled and rip-
pling on toward the shore far below him, and long
he gazed thereon and all about, but could see neither
ship nor sail, nor aught else save the washing of
waves and thehovcringof sea foMjPXlhcn he said:
*' Cdcre itnot well if Iwere to seek that house/master
of whom fox spake ? JVIight he not flit me at least to
the Land of the Glittering plain ? ^oe is me! now
am X of thatwof ul company, and 1 also must needs
cry out CQhere is the land? ^here is the land?''

^RGRBCdl^R he turned toward the reef
above their lair, but as he went, he thought
and said: '']Vay, but was not this Stead a lie
like the rest of fox's tale?and am Xnot alone in this
sea/girt wilderness ? Yea, and even that image of my
Beloved which 1 saw in the dream, perchance that
also was a mere beguiling; for now X see that the
Puny fox was in all ways wiser than is meet and
comely/' Y^t again he said: '*Ht least X will seek on,
and find out whether there be another man dwelling
on this hapless Xsle, and then the worst of it will be
battle with him, and death by point and edge rather
thanbyhunger;oratthebestwemaybecomefriends
and fellows and deliver each other/' TThcrcwith he
came to the reef, and with much ado climbed to the
topmostof its rocks and looked down thence land-
ward: and betwixt him and the mountains, and by
seeming not very far off, he saw smoke arising: but
no house he saw, nor any other token of a dwelling.
So he came down from the stone & turned his back
upon the sea and went toward that smoke with his
sword in its sheath, and his spear over his shoulder.

31

Rough & toilsome was tbcway : three little dales he
crossedatnidstthemountain necks, eachonenarrow
and bare, with a stream of water amidst, running
seaward, & whether in dale or on ridge, he went ever
amidst sand and stones, and the weeds of the wil-
derness, and saw no man, or man/tended beast,

XI last, after he had been four hours
on the way, but had not gone very far,
he topped a stony bent, and from the
brow thereof beheld a wide valley
i{ grass/grown for the more part, with
a river running through it, and sheep
and kine and horses feeding up and down it. Hnd
amidst this dale by the stream/side was a dwelling
of men, a long hall, and other houses about it builded
of stonej^^hen was Hallblithe glad, and bestrode
down the bent speedily, his war/gear clashing upon
him : and as became to the foot thereof and on to the
grass of the dale, he got amongst the pasturing
horses, and passed close by the horse/herd and a
woman that was with him. they scowled at him as
he went by, but meddled not with him in any way,
Hlthough they were giant/like of stature & fierce of
face, they were not ill/favoured : they were red/haired,
and the woman as white as cream where the sun had
not burned her skin ; they had no weapons that Rail-
blithe might see, save the goad in the hand of the
carle.

^^^?|0 nallblithe passed on and came to the big-
^^^ gest house, the hall aforesaid: it was very
^^^ Ion g, & low as for its len gth, no t over shape-

ly of fashion, a mere gabled heap of stones. Low &
strait was the door therein to, & as Hallblithe en tered,

32

etooping lowly, and tbc fire of the steel of bio spear
that be beld before bim was quencbed in tbe mirk of
)tbe ball, be smiled and said to biniself : *']Sow if
tbere were one anigb wbo would not bave me enter
alive, and be witb a weapon in bis band, soon were
all tbe tale told/' But be got into tbe ball unsmit-
ten,and stood on tbe floor tbereof, and spake: ''X3be
sele of tbe day to wbomsoever is bereint CClill any
man speak to tbe new comer?''

Crc none answered or gave bim greet-
^ ing; and as bis eyes got used to tbc
( dusk of tbe ball, be looked about bim,
& ncitber on tbe floor or tbe bigb seat
nor in any ingle could be see a man ;
and tberewas silence tbere, savefor tbe
cracklingof tbe flickering flameon tbe beartb amid-
most, and tbe running of tbe rats bebind tbe panel/
ling of tbewallsj!?On one sideof tbe ball was a row
of sbut/beds, & Rallblitbe deemed tbat tbere migbt
bemen tberein; but sincenonebad greeted bim, berc/
f rained bim from searcbing tbem for fear of a trap,
and be tbougbt: ''I will abide amidst tbe floor, and
if tbere beany tbat would deal witb me,friendor foe,
let bim come bitber to me/'

O be fell to walking up and down tbe
ball from buttery to dais, & bis war-
gear rattled upon bim, Ht last as be
walked be tbougbt be beard a small
tbin peevisb voice, wbicb yet was too
busky for tbe squeak of a rat. So be
stayed bis walk and stood still, and said: '*U3ill any
.man speak to Rallblitbe, a new/comer, & a stranger
nn tbis Stead ?"j^Xrben tbat small voice made a
di 33

word and said: ''dlby pacctb the fool up and down
our ball, doing notbing, even as tbe Ravens flap
croahing about tbe crags, abiding tbe war/inote and
tbe clasb of tbe fallow blades ?"j^ Said nallblitbe,
and bis voice sounded big in tbe ball: '*CClbo calletb
Rallblitbe a fool and mochetb at tbe sons of tbe
Raven ?"j^S pake tbe voice: ''^by cometb not tbe
fool to tbe man tbat may not go to bim ?''j^Cben
Hallblitbe bent forward to bearken, and be deemed
tbat tbe voice came from one of tbe sbut/beds,so be
leaned bis spear against a pillar, and went into tbe
sbut/bed be bad noted, & saw wbere tbere lay along
in it a man exceeding old by seeming, sore wasted,
witb long bair as wbite as snow lying over tbe bed/
clotbes.

inGJV tbe elder saw Hallblitbe, be laugbed a
tbin cracked laugb as if in mockery and said:
rHail, new/ comer t wilt tbou eat?" ''Y^^/'
said nallblitbej(^''6otbou into tbe buttery tben,"
said tbe old carle, ''and tbere sbalt tbou find on tbe
cupboard cakes, & curds and cbeese:eat tby fill, and
wben tbou bast done, look in tbe ingle, and tbou
sbalt see a cask of mead exceeding good, and a stou p
tbereby,and two silver cups; fill tbe stoup and bring
it bitberwitb tbe cups; and tben may we talk amidst
of drinking, wbicb is good for an old carle. Hasten
tbou t or X sball deem tbee a double fool wbo will not
fare to f etcb bis meat, tbougb be be bungry ''ji^XTben
Hallblitbe laugbed, and went down tbe ball into tbe
buttery and found tbe meat, an date bis fill, and came
away witb tbe drink back to tbe Long/boary man,
wbo cbuckled as be came and said: ** fill up now for
tbee and for me, and call a bealtb to me andwisb me

Gomcx^haV j^ ''I wish tbcc luch/' said nallblitbc,
and dranh j^Said tbc elder: **Hnd 1 wisb tbee more
wits; is luch all tbat tbou mayst wisb tne? ^bat
luck may an outworn elder bave?"j!^^*(nell tben/'
quotbr)allblitbe/'wbatsballlwi8btbee?<Oouldst
tbou bavcmewisb tbee youtb?"^'Ycat certes/'said
tbe Long/boary, '*tbat and nougbtelse"jj^*'Y^utb
tben I wisb tbee, if it may avail tbee augbt/' said
Hallblitbe, and be dranh again tberewitb ^ *']^fay,
nay/' said tbe old carle peevisbly, ''take a tbird cup,
andwisb me youtb witb no idle words tacked tbere-
to^^Said Rallblitbe raising tbe cup: '^Hcrewitb X
wisb tbee youtb!" and be drank ^'' Good is tbc
wisb/' said tbe elder; '* now ask tbou of tbc old carle
wbatso tbou wilt/*

HID nallblitbe: ''CObatis tbis land called?''
'' Son/' said tbc otber, bast tbou beard it call-
ed tbe Isle of Ransom ?" ''^ca/' said nall-
blitbe, '' but wbat wilt tbou call it?" ''By no otber
name/' said tbc boary carle. ''Is it far from otber
lands ? "said Hallblitbc. ''Y^a/* said tbc carle, '* wbcn
tbe ligbtwinds blow, & tbe sbips sail slow/' ''Qlbat
do ye wbo live bcre?" said nallblitbe. '*T)ow do ye
live, wbat work win ye ?"j^'' CKc win diverse work,"
said tbc elder, ''but tbe gainfuUest is robbing men
by tbe bigb band "j^" Is it ye wbo bave stolen from
me tbe Rostagc of tbe Rose?" said Nallblitbe. Said
tbeLong/boary:")Vlaybc; Xwotnot; in diverse ways
my kinsmen traffic, and tbey visit many lands, ^by
sbould tbey not bave come to Cleveland also?" "Is
sbe in tbis Isle, tbou old runagate ? " said nallblitbe
j^"Sbe is not, tbou young fool," said tbc cider j^
Tlbcn Hallblitbe fiusbed red and spake: "Knowest
dz 35

tboii tbcpuny f ox?*' '' How should I not?" said tbc
carle, ** since be is tbe son of one of my sons/' ** Dost
tbou call bim a liar and a rogue?" said Hallblitbej^
^be elder laugbed: *'Glse were 1 a fool," said be;
*' tbere are few bigger liarsorbiggcr rogues tban tbe
puny foxt"^*'Xs be berc in tbis Isle?" said Hall-
blitbe ;' * may I see bim ? " ^be old man lau gbed again ,
and said : ' * JSTay, be is not bere, unless be batb turned
f oolsinceyesterday: wby sbould beabide tby sword,
since be batb done wbat be would and brought tbee
bitber?"j^trben be laugbed, as a ben cachles,a long
wbile, & tben said: '*^bat more wilt tbou ask me?"
But Rallblitbe was very wratb: *'lt availetb nought
to ash," be said; ** & now lam in two minds whether
1 shall slay tbee or not " jj^ '* Hbat were a meet deed
for a Raven, but not for a man,"said tbe carle, ''and
tbou that bastwisbedmeluchlHsk, Hskt"j^But
Rallblithe was silent a long while. XTben tbe carle
said: ''Hnotber cup for tbe longer after youth!"
nallblithe filled, and gave to him, and tbe old man
drank & said : '' TTbou deemest us all liars in the Isle
of Ransom because of tby beguiling by the puny
fox : but therein tbou errest. the puny fox is our
chief est liar, and doth for us the more part of such
work as we need: therefore, wby should we others
lie ?Hsk, Hsk I " j^'' mdi then," said nallblitbe,'' wby
did the puny fox bewrayme,& at whose bidding?"
Said tbe elder: ''1 know, but Twill not tell thee. Is
this a lie?" ''JVay, X deem it not," said Hallblitbe;
** Bu t, tell me, is it verily true that my troth/plight is
not here, thatlmay ransom her ?"j^Said the Long-
hoary: ''X swear it by tbe Oeasure of the Sea, that

8heisnothere:thetalewasbutalieof thepunyfox.

36

))jj}

i

ifii

S^->:/!"-«^.

:^;gS^

M

Chapter VXl. H feast in the Isle of Ransom ^^

HLLBLtlTRB pondered bis an/
swer awhile with downcast eye8,&
said at last: ''Have ye amind to ran/
som me^nowthatt have walked in/
to the trap?''j^ ''^^here is no need
to talk of ransom/' said the elder ;
''thou mayst go out of this house
when thou wilt,norwillany meddle
with thee if thou strayest about the lsle,whenl have
set amark on thee & given thee a token : nor wilt thou
be hindered if thou hast a mind to leave the Isle, if

thou canst find means thereto; moreover as long as
tbou art in the Isle, in this bouse mayst tbou abide,
eating and drinking and resting witb us^j? ** How
may 1 leave tbis,'' said Hallblitbej^ribe elder laugb/
ed:''ln asbip,"said be/'Hndwben,"said Rallblitbe,
''sballlfind asbiptbatsball carry me?''Saidtbe old
carle: ''Cdbitberwouldest tbou,myson?" Rallblitbe
was silent a wbile, tbinking wbat answer be sbould
make ; tben be said : ''X would go to tbe land of tbe
Glittering plain/' ''Son, a sbip sball not be lacking
tbee for tbat voyage,'' said tbe elder/* TIbou mayst
go to/morrow morn J^Hndl bid tbee abide bere to-
nigbt, and tby cbeer sball not be ill Yet if tbou wilt
believe my word, it will be well for tbee to say as little
as tbou mayst to any man bere, & tbat little as little
proud as maybe : for our folk are sbort of temper
and tbou knowest tbere is no migbt against many,
Indeed it is not unlike tbat tbey will not speak one
word to tbee, and if tbat be so, tbou bast no need
to open tby moutb to tbem, Hnd now 1 will tell tbee
tbat it is good tbat tbou bast cbosen to go to tbe
Glittering plain, for if tbou wert otherwise mind-
ed, 1 wot not bow tbou wouldest get tbee a keel to
carry tbee, & tbe wings bave not yet begun to sprout
on tby shoulders, raven tho'tbou be. Jy>w 1 am glad
that thou art going thy way 6 to the 6 littering plain
to/morrow;for thou wilt be good company tome on
the way : and I deem that thou wilt be no churl when
tbou art glad/'

InHirt" said nallblithe,'' art tbou wending
thither, thou old man ?"j^''Y^^/' said he,
1 **nor shall any other be on the ship save thou
and t, & the mariners who waft us ; & they forsooth
shall not go aland there, ^by sbould notlgo, since

38

there are men to bear me aboard ?*'jj^Said Rallblitbe:
**Hnd when thou art come aland there.what wilt thou
do?"j(? **nhou ehalt see, my eon/' said the Long-
hoary/' It may be that thy good wishes shall be of
avail to me* But now since all this may only be if X
live through this night, & since my heart hath been
warmed by the good mead, and thy fellowship, and
whereas 1 am somewhat sleepy, and it is long past
noon, go forth into the hall, & leave me to sleep, that
X may be as sound as eld will have me be to/morrow.
Hnd as for thee,folh,bothmenandwomen, shall pre/
sentlycomeintothehall,&tdeemnotthatanyshaU
meddle with thee ; but if so be that any challenge
thee, whatsoever may be his words, answer thou to

him,xne noase of rne ajs[DYij^(3,'and

there will be an end of it. Only look thou to it that
nonahcd steel come outof thy scabbard j(^6o now,
and if thou wilt, go out of doors ; yet art thou safer
within doors and nigher unto me/*

O Rallblithe went bach into the main
hall, & the sun had gotten round now,
& was shining into the hall, through
the clerestory windows, so that he
saw clearly all that was therein. Hnd
he deemed the hall fairer within than
without; & especially over the shut/beds were many
stories carven in the panelling, and Rallblithe be-
held them gladly. Butof one thinghe marvelled, that
whereas hewasin an islandof the strong/ thieves of
the waters, and in their very home and chiefest ha-
bitation, there were no ships or seas pictured in that
imagery, but fair groves and gardens, with flowery
grass & fruited trees all about. Hnd there were fair
d4 39

women abiding therein, and lovely young men, and
warriors, and strange beasts and many marvels,
and the ending of wratb and beginning of pleasure,
and the crownmgof love, Hnd amidst these was pic/
tured oft and again a mighty king with a sword by
his side and a crown on his head ; and ever was he
smiling & joyous, so that nallblithe,when he look-
ed on him, felt of better heart & smiled back on the
carven image.

O while Rallblithe looked on these things, &
pondered his case carefully, all alone as he
was in that alien hall, he heard a noise with-
out of talking and laughter, and presently the pat-
tering of feet therewith, and then women came into
thehall,ascoreormore,someyoung,someold,6ome
fair enough, and some hard/featured anduncomely,
but all above the stature of the women whom he had
seen in his own landj^So he stood amidst the hall/
floor and abided them ; and they saw him and his
shining war/gear, & ceased their talking and laugh/
ter, and drew round about him, & gazed at him ; but
none said aught till an old crone came forth from
the ring, and said: ''^ho art thou, standing under
weapons in our hall?" He knew not what to answer,
and held his peace; and she spake again : **OIhither
wouldest thou , what scckest thou ?*'^rihen answer/

ed naiibiithe : 'Tne noQse Of zr>e ajSDY-

1)^6/' JSone answered, and the other women all fell
away from him at once, and went about their busi/
ness hither andthither through the hall But theold
crone took him by the hand, & led him up to the dais,
andsethimnext to the midmost high/seatXhen she
made asif shewould do off his war/gear, & he would
40

not gainsay bcr, though he deemed that foes might
be anear ; for in sooth he trusted in the old carle that
hewould not bewray him, and moreover hedeemedit
wouldbeunmanlynottotaketberishsof theguest-
ing, according to the custom of that country j(7 So
she took his armour and his weapons and bore them
off to a shut/bed next to that wherein lay the ancient
man, and she laid the gear within it, all save the spear,
which she laid on the wall/pins above; and she made
signs to him that therein hewas tolie; but she spake
no word to him. t^hen she brought him the hand-
washing water in a basin of latten, & a goodly towel
therewith, and when he had washed she went away
from him, but not far.

^^^niS while the other women were busy about
l^W ^^^ hall; some swept the floor down, & when
^i^^i it was swept strawed thereon rushes & wild
thyme: some wen tin to the buttery and bore forth the
boards and the trestles: some went to the chests and
brought out the rich hangings, the goodly bankers
and dorsars, & did them on the walls : some bore in
the stoups and horns and beakers,^ some wen t their
ways and came not back awhile, for they were busied
about the cooking. But whatevertheydid,none hail/
ed him, or heeded him more than if he had been an
image, as he sat there looking on. JVone save the old
woman who brought him the fore/supper, to wit a
great horn of mead, and cakes and dried fish.

O was thehallarrayedf orthef eastvery
fairly, & Rallblithe sat there while the
sun westered and the House grew dim,
and dark at last, and they lighted the
candles up & down the hall. But a little
after these were lit, a great horn was

winded cloec without, and thereafter came the clatter
of arms about the door, and exceeding tall weapon ed
m en cam e in , on e 6 core an d five, & 9 trode two by two
up to the foot of the dais, and stood there in a row,
j^Hnd Hallblithe deemed their war/gear exceeding
good; they were all clad in ring/locked bymies, and
had steel helms on their heads with garlands of gold
wrought about them and they bore spears in their
hands, and white shields hung at their bachs. ]Vow
came the women to them and unarmed them ; & under
their armour their raiment was black; but they had
gold rings on their arms, and golden collars about
their necks. So they strode up to the dais and took
their places on the high/seat, not heeding Rallblithe
any more than if he were an image of wood. JSever-
theless that man was next to him who was the chief-
tain of all and sat in themidmost high/seat ; and he
bore his sheathed sword in his hand and laid it on
the board before him, and he was the only man of
those chieftains who kept a weapon. Butwhen these
were set down, there was again a noise without, and
there came in a throng of men armed and unarmed
who took their places on the endlong benches up &
down the hall ; with these came women also,who most
of them sat amongst themen,butsome busied them
with the serving: all these men were great of stature,
but none so big as the chieftains on the high/seat.
^Om came the women in from the kitch-
\^ en bearing the meat, whereof no little
was flesh/meat, and all was of the best
^- j^ Hallblithe was duly served like the
^\ others, but still none spake to him or
even looked on him ; though amongst

themselves tbey spoke in big, rough voices so that
the rafters of the hall rang again JS Cdhen they
had eaten their fill the women filled round the cups
and the horns to them, and those vessels were both
great and goodly j^ But ere they fell to drinking
uprose the chieftain who sat furthest from the mid/
most high/seat on the right & cried a health : '* XTHB
TReHSaRe Of rne sen t " Then they all
stood up and shouted, women as well as men, and
emptied their horns and cups to that health. XThen
stood up the man furthest on the left and cried out:
''Drink a health to the Ondying King!" Hnd again
all men rose up and shouted ere they drank. Other
healths they drank,as the^'Cold Keel/' the ^'CQind-
wom Sail/' the'' Quivering Hsh/'and the '' furrow-
ed Beach/' Hnd the wine and mead flowed like rivers
in that hall of the (Hild )Vlen. Hs for nallblithe, he
drank what he would, but stood not up, nor raised
his cup to his lips when a health was drunk; for he
i knew not whether these men were his friends or his
•^foes,andhe deemed itwould be little/minded todrink
Ito their healths, lest he might be drinking death and
confusion to his own kindred.

CTCwhen men had drunk awhile, again

ahom blewatthenetherendof the ball,

\ & straightway folkarose from theend/

long tables, and took away the boards

and trestles, and cleared the floor and

I stood against the wall; then the big

chieftain beside Rallblithe arose & cried out: '*)Vow

let man dance with maid, and be we merry! jVIusic,

strike upt " tlhen flew the fiddle/bows and twanged

the harps, and the carles and queens stood forth on

43

tbcfioor;<&aU the women were clad in black raiment,
albeit embroidered witb knots and wreatbs of flow-
ers. Hwbile tbeydanced,& tben suddenly tbe music
fell, and tbey all went back to tbeir places. 'Cbzn tbe
cbieftain in tbe bigbseat arose and took a bom from
'bis side, and blew a great blast on it tbat filled tbe
ball; tben be cried in a loud voice:'' Be wc merry! Let
tbe cbampions come fortbf'

B]S sbouted gleefully tbereat, and
s traigb tway ran in to tbe ball from out
tbe screens tbree tall men clad all in
black armour witb naked swords in
tbeir bands, & stood amidst tbe ball/
^ floor, somewbaton oneside, & clasbed
tbeir swords on tbeir sbields and cried out: ** Come
f ortb ye Cbampions of tbe Raven I ''J^ TTben leapt
Rallblitbc from bis seat and set bis band to bis left
side, but no sword was tbere; so be sat down again,
remembering tbe warning of tbe Glder, and none
beeded bim j^ XLbcn tbere came into tbe ball slowly
and mournfully tbree men/at/arms, clad and wea-
poned like tbe warriors of bis folk, witb tbe image
of tbe Raven on tbeir belms and sbields. So Hall-
blitberefrained bim, forbesidestbattbis seemed like
to be a fair battle of tbree against tbree, be doubted
some snare, and be determined to look on and abide
J^ So tbe cbampions fell to laying on strokes tbat
were no cbild's play, tbougb nallblitbe doubted if
tbe edges bit, and it was but a little wbile before tbe
Cbampions of tbe Raven fell one after anotber be-
fore tbe (Hild JVIen, and folk drew tbem by tbe beels
out into tbe buttery. ITben arose great laugbter and
jeering, & exceeding wrotb was Hallblitbe; bowbeit

44

be refrained bim, because be remembered all be bad
to do. But tbe tbree Cbampions of tbe Sea strode
round tbe ball, tossing up tbeir swords & catcbing
itbem as tbey fell, wbile tbe borns blew up bebind
tbem.

fXTBR a wbile tbe ball grew busbed, &
)' tbe cbief tain arose and cried: ''Bring
innowsomesbeavesoftbebarvestwe
win , we lads of tbe oar an d tbe arrow t "
j0 Xihuw was tbere a stir at tbe screen
doors, and folk pressed forward to
see, and, lo, tbere came forward a string of women,
led in by two weaponed carles; and tbe women were
^a score in number, and tbey were barefoot and tbeir
bair bung loose and tbeir ^ownswere un girt, & tbey
were cbained togetber wnst to wrist; yet bad tbey
gold at arm and neck: tbere was silence in tbe ball
wben tbey stood amidst of tbe floor j^tTben indeed
Hallbli tbe could notrefrain bimself,& be leapt from
bis seat & on to tbe board, and over it, and ran down
tbe ball, and came to tbosewomen and looked tbem
in tbe faceoneby one, wbile noman spake in tbe ball.
But tbe Hostage was not amongst tbem ; nay for-
sootb, tbey none of tbem favoured of tbe daugbters
of bis people, tbougb tbey were comely and fair; so
tbat again Hallblitbedoubted if tbis were augbt but
a feast/ball play done to anger bim ; wbereas tbere
was but little grief in tbe faces of tbose damsels, &
more tban one of tbem smiled wantonly in bis face
as be looked on tbem^So be turned aboutandwent
back to bis seat, bavin g said no word, & bebind bim
arosemucb mo eking and jeering; but it angered bim
little now; for be remembered tbe rede of tbe elder &

45

how that be bad done according to bis bidding, so
tbat be deemed tbe gain was bis. So sprang up talk
in tbe ball betwixt man and man, folk drank about
and were merry, till tbe cbieftain arose again and
smote tbe board witb tbe fiat of bis sword, and cried
out in a loud and angry voice, so tbat all could bear:
*' ]Sow let tbcre bcmusic and minstrelsy ere we wend
bedwardt"

neRemXrn fell tbe bubbub of
voices, and tbere came f ortb tbree men
witb great barps, and a fourtb man
witb tbem, wbo was tbe minstrel; and
tbe barpers smote tbeir barps so tbat
tbe roof rangtberewitb,and tbe noise,
tbougb it was great, was tuneable, and wben tbey
bad played tbus a little wbile, tbey abated tbeir loud-
ness somewbat, & tbe minstrel lifted bis voice and
I sang:

^X1T)S land lies black

^itb winter's lack,

Tbe wind blows cold

Round field and fold;

Hllfolkarewitbin,

Hnd but weaving tbey win.

^bere from finger to finger

tbe sbuttle flies fast,

|Hnd tbe eyes of tbe singer

look fain on tbe cast,

Hs be singetb tbe story

of summer undone

Hnd tbe barley sbeavcs boary

ripe under tbe sun.

46

tTHBJV tbc maidens stay

tTbe ligbt/bung slcy,

Hnd tbc sbuttlcs bide

By tbc blue web's side,

^bile band in band

<nitb tbe carles tbey stand.

But ere to tbe measure

tbc fiddles strike up,

Hnd tbe elders yet treasure

tbc last of tbc cup,

Tlbere stand tbey a/bcarhening

tbc blast from tbe lift,

Hnd e'en nigbt is a/darkening

more under tbe drift.

tlRBRe safe in tbc ball

"Cbey bless tbe wall,

Hnd tbe roof o'er bead.

Of tbe valiant stead;

Hnd tbc bands tbey praise

Of tbe olden days.

XTben tbrougb tbe storm's roaring

tbc fiddles break out,

Hnd tbey tbink not of warring,

but cast away doubt,

Hnd, man before maiden,

tbcir feet tread tbe floor,

Hnd tbcir bearts arc unladen

of all tbat tbey bore*

BQIT wbat winds arc o'er/cold
for tbe bcart of tbc bold?
(nbat seas are o'cr/bigb

47

for tbc undoomcd to die ?

Dark night and dread wind,

But tbc bavcn we find.

TTben aebore mid tbe flurry

of stone/wasbing surf I

Cloud/bounds tbe moon worry,

but ligbt lies tbe turf;

Lo tbe long dale before ust

tbe ligbts at tbe end,

XTbougb tbe nigbt darkens o'er us,

bid wbitber to wend.

^RO beatctb tbe door
By tbe foot/smitten floor?
Cdbat guests are tbese
from over tbe seas ?
^ake sbield and sword
for tbeir greeting/word.
Lo, lo, tbc dance ended t
lo, midst of tbe ball
Tbc fallow blades blended!
lo, blood on tbe wall!
<nbo livetb, wbo dietb ?
O men of tbe sea,
for peace tbe folk crietb :
our masters are ye.

J^Om tbe dale lies grey
Ht tbc dawn of day;
Hnd fair feet pass
O'er tbe wind/worn grass ;
Hnd tbey turn back to gaze
On tbe roof of old days.
48

Come tread yc the oaken/

floored ball of the seat

Be your hearts yet unbroken ;

so fair as ye be,

Hhat kings are abiding

unwedded to gain

tibe news of our riding

tbe steeds of tbe main.

j!?JVIucb shouting and laughter arose at the song's
end ; and men sprang up and waved their swords
above the cups, while Rallblithe sat scowling down
on their merriment. Lastly arose the chieftain and
called out loudly for thegood/nightcup,anditwent
round & all men drank. Chen the horn blew for bed,
and the chief tains went to their chambers, and the
others went to the out/bowers or laid them down
on the hall/floor, and in a little while none stood up-
right thereon. So Rallblithe arose, and went to the
shut/bed appointed for him, and laid him down and
slept dream less ly till the morning.

ei 49

Chapter VIXX. Rallblitbc takctb ship again away
the Isle of Ransom ^^

jRBJV be awoke, tbe sun sbone
into tbe ball by tbe windows a-
bove tbe buttery, and tbere were
but few folk left therein. But so
soon as Rallblitbewas clad, tbe
old woman came to bim,& took
bim by tbe band, and led bim to
tbe board, and sigfned to bim to

isi^^V

cat of what wae tbcrcon ; and be did so ; and by tbcn
be was done, came folk wbo went into tbe sbut/bed
wbere lay tbcLong/boary, & tbcy brougbt bim f ortb
bed and all and bare bim out a/doorsXben tbe crone
brougbt Hallblitbe bis arms, and be did on bymy
and belm, girt bis sword to bis side, took bis spear
in band and went out a/doors ; and tbere close by tbe
porcb lay tbe Long/boary upon a borsc/ litter. So
Rallblitbe came up to bim and gave bim tbe sele of
tbe day : <& tbe elder said : '' Good morrow, son, I am
glad to see tbee. Did tbey try tbee bard last nigbt?"
J? Hnd Hallblitbe saw two of tbe carles tbat bad
borne out tbe elder, tbat tbey were talking togetber,
and tbey looked on bim and laugbed mockingly; so
be said to tbe elder :''Bven fools may try a wise man,
and so it befel last nigbt. Y^t, as tbou seest, mum-
mingbatbnotslainme"j^Saidtbeoldman:'*QIbat
tbou sawest was not all mumming ; it was done ac-
cording to our customs ; and well nigb all of it bad
been done, even badst tbou not been tbere. J^ay,l will
tell tbee; at some of our feasts it is not lawful to eat
eitber for tbe cbief tains or tbe carles, till a cbampion
batb given fortb a cballenge,and been answered and
, met, & tbe battle fougbt to an end. But yemen,wbat
binderetb you to go to tbe borses' beads & speed on
tbe road tbe cbief tain wbo is n o Ion ger way/wortby ? "
Otbey ran to tbe borses and set down
tbe dale by tbe river/side, and just as
Hallblitbe was going to follow afoot,
tbere came a swain from bebind tbe
bouse leading a red borse wbicb be
brougbt to Rallblitbe as one wbo bids
'mount. So Hallblitbe leapt into tbe saddled at once
C2 51

caught up with tbc Utter of the Long/boary down
along the riverXbcy passed by no otber bouse, save
berc & tbere a cot beside some fold or byre ; tbey wen t
easily, for tbe way was smootb by tbe river/side; so
in less tban two bours tbey came wbere tbe said river
ran into tbe sea. Tbere was no beacb tbere, for tbe
water was ten f atbom deep close up to tbe lip of tbe
land ; but tbere was a great baven land/locked all bu ta
narrow out/gate betwixt tbe sbeer black cliffs. JMany
a great sbip migb t bave lain in tbat baven ; bu t as now
tbere was but one lying tbere,a round/sbip not very
great, but exceeding trim and meet for tbe sea.

nSRB witbout more ado tbe carles
took tbe elder from tbe litter and bore
bim aboard, and Rallblitbe followed
bim as if be bad been so appointed.
Tbey laid tbe old man adown on tbe
poop under a tilt of precious web, and
so went aback by tbe way tbat tbey bad come; and
Rallblitbe went & sat down beside tbe Long/boary,
.wbo spake to bim and said: ''Seest tbou, son, bow
easy it is for us twain to be shipped for tbe land
wbitber we would go? But as easy as it is for tbee
to go tbitber whereas we are going, just so bard bad
it been for thee to go elsewhere. JVloreover Imust tell
thee that though many an one of tbe Isle of Ran-
som desireth to go this voyage, there shall none
else go, till tbe world is a year older, and he who shall
go then shall be likest to me in all ways, both in eld
and in feebleness, and in gibing speech, and all else;
and now tbat 1 am gone, his name shall be tbe same
as tbat whereby ye may call me to/day, and tbat is
Grandfather. Hrt tbou glad or sorry, Rallblitbe?"
5^

^^'erandfatbcr/' said Rallblitbc, ''I can scarce tcii
tbcc : 1 move as one wbo batb no will to wend one
way or otber. JMeseems 1 am drawn to go tbitbcr
wbereas we are going; tberefore I deem tbat I sball
find my beloved on tbe Glittering plain : andwbat-
ever bef alletb afterward, let it be as it will I " j? '* t^ell
me, my son /'said tbe (3randfatber/'bow many wo/
men are tbere in tbe world 7'' j^ *' How may t tell
tbee?" said Rallblitbe j^ '^OIcll, tben/'said tbe el-
der, ''bow many exceeding fair women are tbere?"
Said Rallblitbe: ''Indeed 1 wot not"^'' How many
of sucb bast tbou seen ? '* said tbe Grandfatber.
"JVlany/' said Hallblitbe; "tbe daugbters of my
folk are fair, and tbere will be many otber sucb a-
mongst tbe aliens'' j^Hben laugbed tbe elder, and
said: "Yet my son, be wbo bad been tby fellow since
tby sundering from tby beloved, would bave said
tbat in tby deeming tbere is but one woman in tbe
world ; or at least one fair woman : is it not so ? " jj^
"Cben Rallblitbe reddened at first, as tbougb be were
angry; tben besaid: "Yca,itisso/'Said tbeCrand-
fatber in a musing way: "X wonder if before long I
sball tbinh of it as tbou dost" j^tTben Hallblitbe
gazed at bim marvelling, and studied toseewberein
lay tbe gibe against bimself : and tbe Grandfatber
bebeld bim, and laugbed as well as be migbt, and
said: "Son, son, didst tbou not wisb me youtb?"
"Yea," said Rallblitbe, "but wbat ails tbee to laugb
80 ? Qlbat is it 1 bave said or done ? " " J^ougbt,
nougbt,"said tbe elder, laugbing still more, "only
tbou lookest so mazed. Hnd wbo knowetbwbat tby
wisb may bring fortb ?"

C3 53

RBRBHtr was HaUblitbc sore puz-
zled; but while be ect bimeelf to con-
eider wbat tbe old carle migbt mean,
uproee tbe bale and bow of tbe mari-
ners ; tbey cast off tbe bawsers from
tbe sbore, ran out tbe sweeps, & drove
tbe sbip tbrougb tbe baven/gates. It was a brigbt
sunny day ;witbin, tbe green water was oily/smootb,
witbout tbe rippling waves danced merrily under a
ligbt breeze, & nallblitbe deemed tbe wind to be fair;
for tbe mariners sbouted joyously and made all sail
on tbe sbip; and sbe lay over and sped tbrougb tbe
waves, casting off tbe seas from ber black bows.
Soon were tbey clear of tbose swart cliffs, & it was
but a little afterwards tbat tbe Isle of Ransom was
grown deep blue bebind tbem and far away.

54

Chapter XX. Vbcy come to the Land of the Glitter-
ing plain^^

|S in the ball, so in the ship, Rall-
blitbe noted tbat tbe folk were
merry and of many words one
witb anotber,wbile to bim no man
cast a word save tbe Grandf atber.
Hsto Rallblitbctbougbbewon-
deredmucbwbatalltbis betoken-
ed, & wbat tbe land was wbereto
be was wending, be was no man to fear an unboded
peril; and be said to bimself tbat whatever else be-

tid, he should meet the Hoetage on the Glittering
plain ; so his heart rose and he was of good cheer,
& as the Grandfather had foretold, he was a merry
faring/fellow to him. [Many a gibe the old man cast
at him, and whiles Hallblithe gave him back as good
as he took, and whiles he laughed as the stroke went
home and silenced him; and whiles he understood
nought of what the elder said. So wore the day and
still the wind held fair, though it was light; and
the sun set in a sky nigh cloudless, and there was
nowhere any forecast of peril But when night was
come, Hallblithe lay down on a fair bed, which was
dight for him in the poop, and he soon fell asleep
and dreamed not save such dreams as are but made
up of bygone memories, and betoken nought, & arc
not remembered.

JinSJSf he awoke, day lay broad on the sea,
and the waves were little, the sky had but
3 few clouds, the sun shone bright, and the
air was warm and sweet/breathedj(^r)e looked aside
and saw the old man sitting up in his bed as ghastly
as a dead man dug up again: his bushy eye/brows
were wrinkled over his bleared old eyes, the long
white hair dangled forlorn from his gaunt head: yet
was his face smiling and he looked as happy as the
soul within him could make the half /dead body. Re
turned now to Hallblithe and said: '^IThou art late
awake: hadst thou been waking earlier, the sooner
had thine heart been gladdened. Go forward now,
and gaze thy fill and come and tell me thereof "ji?
*'XIhou art happy. Grandfather," said Hallblithe,
''what good tidings hath mom brought ue7**JP
*'^he land! the land!" said the Long/hoary; ''there
56

arc no longer tears in this old body, else should 1 be
weeping for joy^'j^Said Hallblitbe: '^Hrttbou go-
ing tomeetsomeonewbosballmaketbee glad before
thou diest, old man ?"

OfAS one?" said the elder; ''what one ? Hre
they not all gone ? burned, and drowned, and
slam and died abed ?Some one, young man?
Yea, forsooth some one indeed! Y^^^the great war-
rior of the blasters of the Shore; the Sea/eagle who
bore the sword and the torch and the terror of the
Ravagers over the coal/blue sea. It is myself, )VIY-
SeLf that X shall find on the Land of the Glitter-
ing plain, O young lover T'j^ Hallblithc loohed on
him wondering as he raised his wasted arms toward
the bows of the ship pitchingdown the slope of the
sunlit sea, or climbingupitXhen again the old man
fell back on his bed <&muttered:'*CQhat fool's work
is this! that thou wilt draw me on to talk loud, and
waste my body with lack of patiencc.lwill talk with
theeno more lest my heart swell and break, & quench
the little spark of life within me/'

nSJV Rallblithe arose to his feet, and stood
looking at him, wondering so much at his
words, that for a while he forgat the land
which they were n earing, though he had caught
glimpses of it, as the bows of the round /ship fell
downward into the hollow of the seaXhe wind was
but light, as hath been said, and the waves little un/
der it, but there was still a smooth swell of the sea
which came of breezes now dead, & the ship wallow-
ed thereon and sailed but slowly.

57

i^f^]^ a while the old man opened bis eyes again,
nl"^ and said in a low peevish voice: **CClhy stand-
M^icst thou staring at me? why hast thou not
gone forward to look upon the land? TTrue it is that
ye Ravens are short of wits/' Said Rallblithe:''Be
not wrath, chieftain;! was wondering at thy words,
which are exceedingmarvellous ; tellmemore of this
land of the Glittering plain "j? Said the Grand-
father : ** <JJby should 1 tell it thee ? ask of the mari-
nersXhey all know more than thou dost ''JP *' TThou
knowest,"saidnallblithe,'*that thesemen speaknot
to me, and take no more heed of me than if 1 were an
image which they were carrying to sell to the next
mighty man they may hap on. O tell me, thou old
man,"said he fiercely,**is it perchance athrallmarket
whereto they are bringing me ? Have they sold her
there, and will they sell me also in the same place, but
intoother hands ?'*^**^usht"6aidthe6randfather
somewhat feebly, '* this last word of thine is folly ;
there is no buying or selling in the land whereto we
are bound. He to thine other word, that these men
have no fellowship with thee, it is true: thou art my
fellow and the fellow of none else aboardXherefore
ifXfeelmightinme,maybelwilltelltheesomewhat''
j^ TThen he raised his head a little and said: 'Xhe
sun grows hot, the wind f ailethus, & slow and slow
are we sailing/'

^^^VSJNf as he spoke there was a stir amidships,
I^^H and Hallblithe looked and beheld the mari-
^ifc^ ners handlingthe sweeps, & settling them-
selves on the rowing/benches. Said the elder :'Xhere
is noise amidships, what are they doing ?''j!? 'Cbc
old man raised himself a little again, and cried out

58

in bis sbriU voice: ''Good lads! brave ladsf "Cbus
would we do in tbe old time wben we drew anear some
sbore, and tbe beacons were sending up smoke by
day, and flame benigbts; <& tbe sbore/abiders did on
tbcir bclms and trembledXbrust bertbrougb, lads t
Xlbrustbcr along! ''^Ilben befell back again, and
said in a weak voice : ''JVIake no more delay, guest,
but go forward and look upon tbe land, and come
back and tell me tbereof , and tben tbe tale may flow
from me. Raste, baste f'j^So Rallblitbe went down
from tbe poop, & into tbe waist, wbere now tbe row-
ers were bending to tbeir oars, and crying out fiercely
as tbey tugged at tbe quivering asb; and be clomb
on to tbe forecastle and went forward rigbt to tbe
dragon/bead, & gazed long upon tbe land, wbile tbe
dasbing of tbe oar/blades made tbe semblance of a
gale about tbe sbip's black sidesXben be came back
again to tbe Sea/eagle, wbo said to bim : ''Son, wbat
bast tbou seen ?''^" Rigbt abead lietb tbe land, & it
is still a good way off. Rigb rise tbe mountains tbere,
but by seeming tbere is no snow on tbem ; & tbougb
tbey be blue tbey are not blue like tbe mountains of
tbe Isle of Ransom. Hlso it seemed to me as if fair
slopes of woodland and meadow come down to tbe
edge of tbe sea. But it is yet far away "j!?"Yca,*'8aid
tbe elder, "is it so ? ^ben will! not wear myself witb
making words for tbee. twill rest ratber, and gatber
migbt. Come again wben an bour batb worn , and tell
mewbat tbou seest;andmaybappen tben tbou sbalt
bave my tale!" Hnd be laid bim down tberewitb and
seemed to be asleep at once. Hnd Rallblitbe migbt
not amend it; so be waited patiently till tbe bour bad
worn, and tben went forward again, & looked long

59

and carefully, & came backandeaidtotbcSea/cagle:
''TTbehour \e worn/*

^^^D6 old chieftain turned himself about and
I^M said: ''CKbat bast tbouseen ?" j!?8aid ^all/
^^fflblitbe: ''TIbe mountains are pale and bigb,
and below tbem are bills darh witb wood, and be-
twixt tbem and tbe sea is a fair space of meadow-
land, and metbougbt it was wide^j^Said tbe old
man : ^'Sawest tbou a rocky skerry rising bigb out
of tbe sea anigb tbe shore?" j^'']Vay/' said nail-
blithe: *'lf there be, it is all blended witb tbe mea-
dows and tbe bills/' Said tbe Sea/cagle: ''Hbide the
wearing of another hour, & come and tell me again,
and then 1 may have a gainful word for thee/' Hnd
be fell asleep again ^ But nallblithe abided, and
when the hour was worn, be went forward and stood
on the forecastle. Hnd this was tbe third shift of
the rowers, and the stoutest men in tbe ship now
held the oars in their bands, and the ship shook
thro' all her length and breadth as they drave her
over the waters.

^^^O nallblithe came aft to tbe old man and
^^^ found him asleep; so be took him by the
i^^?i shoulder, and shook him and said : ** Hwake,
faring/fellow, for tbe land is a/nigh" j^ So tbe old
man sat up and said: ''^hat bast thou seen?"j^
Said nallblithe: '*1 have seen the peaks and cliffs
of the far/off mountains; and below them are hills
green with grass and dark with woods, and thence
stretch soft green meadows down tothesea/strand,
which is fair and smooth, and yellow "jj? ''Sawcst
thou tbe skerry?'' said the Sea/eagle. *' Yea,lsawit/'
said Hallblitbe, ''and it rises sheer from out tbe sea
60

about a mile from tbc yellow strand; but its rocl^s
are black, like tbe rocks of tbe Xsle of Ransom "j!?
'* Son/' said tbe elder, *' give me tbine bands & raise
me up a little/' So Hallblitbe took bim and raised
bim up, so tbat be sat leaning against tbe pillows*
Hnd be looked not on Hallblitbe, but on tbe bows
of tbe sbip, wbicb now pitcbed but a little up and
down, for tbe sea was laid quiet now, XTben be cried
in bis sbrill, piping voice: '*lt is tbe land! It is tbc
landt"

i^^jiCl'C after a little wbile be turned to Hallblitbe
M^^ & spake: ''Sbort is tbe tale to tell: tbou bast
r^^^SI wisbed me youtb, and tby wisb batb tbriven ;
for to/day, ere tbe sun goes down, tbou sbalt see me
as X was in tbe days wben X reaped tbe barvest of
tbe sea witb sbarp sword and bardy beart, for tbis
is tbe land of tbe Qndying King, wbo is our lord
and our gift/giver; and to some be givetb tbe gift
of youtb renewed, and life tbat sball abide bere tbc
Gloom of tbe Gods. But none of us all may come
to tbe Glittering plain and tbe King Qndying witb-
out turning tbe back for tbe last time on tbe Xsle of
Ransom: nor may any men of tbe Xsle come bitber
save tbose wbo are of tbe House of tbe Sea/eagle,
and few of tbose, save tbe cbief tains of tbe House
sucb as are tbey wbo sat by tbee on tbe bigb/seat
tbat even. Of tbese once in a wbile is cbosen one of
us, wbo is old and spent and past battle, and is
borne to tbis landand tbe giftof tbeOndying. for-
sootb some of us bave no will to take tbe gift, for
tbey say tbey are liefer to gotowbere tbey sball meet
more of our kindred tban dwell on tbe Glittering
plain and tbe Here of tbe Qndying; but as for me

61

1 was ever an overbearing and masterful man, and
meseemetbitiswell tbatlmeetasf ewof our hindred
ae may be: for tbey are a strif eful race" JS? Hereat
Rallblitbe marvelled exceedingly, and be said: *'Hnd
wbat am I in all tbis story ? (Hby am 1 come bitber
witb tby f urtberan ce ? '* Said tbe Sea/eagle : '* CHe bad
a cbarge from tbe Gn dying King concerning tbee,
tbat we sbould bring tbee bitber alive and well, if so
be tbou camest to tbe Isle of Ransom, for wbat
cause we bad tbe cbarge,! know not, nor do X greatly
beed'' J9 Said Hallblitbe: *'Hnd sball 1 also bave
tbat gift of undying youtb, and lif ewbile tbe world
of men and gods enduretb ?"j!?**X must needs deem
80," said tbe Sea/eagle, '*so longas tbou abidcst on
tbe Glittering plain ; and X see not bow tbou mayst
ever escape tbence^j^JVow Rallblitbe beard bim,
bow be said ''escape," and tbereat be was somewbat
ill at ease, and stood and pondered a little. Ht last
be said: *'Xs tbis tben all tbat tbou bast to tell me
concerning tbe Glittering plain ?"j^'*By tbe ITrea-
sure of tbe Seat" said tbe Slder, **X hnownomore
of it. Tbe living sball learn. But X suppose tbat
tbou mayst seek tby trotb/pligbt maiden tbere all
tbou wilt. Or tbou mayst pray tbe Qndying King
to bave ber tbitber to tbee. Qlbat knowX? Ht least, it
is like tbat tbere sball beno lack of fair women tberc:
or else tbe promise of youtb renewed is nougbt and
vain. Sball tbis not be enougb for tbee?" jj^'^JVay,"
said Hallblitbe. ''Cdbat," said tbe elder, ''must it
be one woman only?" "One only," said Rallblitbe
jS^XMt old man laugbed bis tbin mocking laugb,
and said: "X will not assure tbee but tbat tbe land
of tbe Glittering plain sball cbange all tbat for
62

tbcc so soon as it touches the soles of tby feet *' J^
Rallblitbe looked at bim steadily and smiled, and
said:''CClell is it tben tbatX sball find tbe Hostage
tbere; for tben sball we be of one mind, citber to
sunder or to cleave togctber. It is well witb me tbis
day ''^''Hnd witb me it sball be well ere long," said
tbe Sea/eagle.

i^^^Crc now tbe rowers ceased rowing and lay on
il^ffl ^^^^^ oare, and tbe sbipmen cast ancbor ; for
f^^^SH tbey were but a bowsbot from tbe sbore,and
tbe sbip swung witb tbe tide and lay side/ long to
tbe sborej^nben said tbe Sea/eagle: ''Look fortb,
sbipmate, and tell me of tbe land "jj^Hnd Hallblitbe
looked and said: ''XTbe yellow beacb is sandy and
sbell/strewn, as X deem, and tbere is no great space
of it betwixt tbe sea and tbe flowery grass; and a
bowsbot from tbe strand X see a little wood amidst
wbicb are fair trees blossoming^^'^Seest tbou any
folk on tbe sbore?"said tbe old man j0 ''^c^/'eaxd
Hallblitbe,'' close to tbe edge of tbe sea go four; &
by seeming tbree are women, for tbeir long gowns
flutter in tbe wind, Hnd one of tbese is clad in saf-
fron colour, and anotber in wbite, and anotber in
watcbet ; but tbe carle is clad in dark red; and tbeir
raiment is all glistening as witb gold & gems; and
by seeming tbey are looking at our sbip as tbougb
tbey expected somewbat " j(^ Said tbe Sea/ eagle:
*'^by now do tbe sbipmen tarry & bave not made
ready tbe skiff? Swillers and belly /gods tbey be;
slothful swine that forget tbeir chieftain/'
l^^&lQ'C even as be spake came four of the ship-
H^^ men, & without more ado took bim up, bed
Kt^KI and all, and bore bim down into tbe waist of

63

the ship, wbcrcundcr lay the skiflp with four strong
rowers lyingon their oarsXhesc men made no sign
to HaUblithe, nor took any heed of him; but he
caught up his spear, and followed them and stood
by as they lowered the old man into the boatXhen
he set his foot on the gunwale of the ship and leapt
down lightly into the boat, and none hindered or
helped him ; and he stood upright in the boat, a
goodly image of battle with the sun flashing back
from his bright helm, his spear in his hand, his
white shield at his back, and thereon the image of
the Raven ; but if he had been but a salt/boiling carle
of the sea/side none would have heeded him less.

64

Chapter X, XZbcy bold converse with folk of the

Glittering plain ^^

lOCd the rowers lifted the asb-
blades> & fell to rowing towards
sbore : & almost witb tbe first of
tbeir strokes, tbe Sea/eagle moan/
edout:''^ouldwewcretbere,ob,
would we were tbere t Cold grow/
etb eld about my beart. Raven's
Son, tbou art standing up ; tell

65

ii

mc if tbou canst sec what these folh of the land arc
doing, and if any others have come thither?''
j^^^HlD nallblithe : '' tThcre are none others
^^w comcbut hine and horses arc f cedingdown
i^sss^ the meadows. He to what those four arc
doing, the women are putting off their shoon, and
girding up their raiment, as if they would wade the
water toward us ; and the carle, who was barefoot
before, wen deth straight towards the sea, and there
he Stan deth, for very little are the waves become ''j!?
Xlbc old man answered nothing, and did but groan
for lack of patience; but presently when the water
was yet waist deep the rowers stayed the skiff, and
two of them slipped over the gunwale into the sea,
and between them all they took up the chieftain on
his bed and got him forth from the boat and went
toward the strand with him ; and the landsf oik met
them where the water was shallower, and took him
from their hands & bore him forth on to the yellow
sand, & laid him down out of reach of the creeping
ripple of the tide. Hallblithe withal slipped lightly
out of the boat and waded the water after them. But
the shipmen rowed back again to their ship, & pre-
sently Hallblithe heard the hale and how, as they
got up their anchor.

WC when Rallblithc was come ashore, and
was drawn near the folk of the land, the
women looked at him askance, and they
laughed and said : *' delcome to thee also, O young
man I '' Hnd he beheld them, and saw that they were
of the stature of the maidens of his own land ; they
were exceeding fair of skin and shapely of fashion,
60 that the nakedness of their limbs under their
66

girded gowns, and all glistening with the sea, was
most lovely and dainty to behold. But Hallblitbe
knelt by the Sea /eagle to note bow be fared, and
said : ** Row is it witb tbee, O cbief tain ? '' J^'Chc old
man answered not aword, & be seemed to be asleep,
and Rallblitbe deemed tbat bis cbeehs were ruddier
and bis skin less wasted and wrinkled tban afore-
time, ^ben spake one of tbose women: ''fear not,
young man ; be is well and will soon be better/' Her
voice was as sweet as a spring bird in tbc morning;
sbe was wbite/ skinned and dark/baired, and full
sweetly fasbioned; and sbe laugbed on Rallblitbe,
but not mockingly; and ber fellows also laugbed,
as tbougb it were strange for bim to be tbere. tben
tbey did on tbeir sboon again, and witb tbc carle
laid tbeir bands to tbc bed wbereon tbc old man lay,
and lifted bim up, & bore bim fortbon totbe grass,
turning tbeir faces toward tbc flowery wood afore-
said; and tbey went a little way and tben laid bim
down again and rested; and so on little by little, till
tbey bad brougbt bim to tbe edge of tbe wood, and
still be seemed to be askcpj^'Cbcn tbe damsel wbo
bad spoken before, sbe witb tbe dark bair, said to
Rallblitbe :''Hltbougb we bave gazed on tbee as if
witb wonder, tbis is not because we did not look to
meet tbee, but because tbou art so fair and goodly
a man : so abide tbou bere till we come back to tbee
from out of tbe wood/' ^berewitb sbe stroked bis
band, and witb ber fellows lifted tbe old man once
more, & tbey bore bim out of sigbt into tbe tbicket.
l^^^dCC Rallblitbe went to and fro a dozen paces
H^^i ^^^^ ^^^ wood, and looked across tbe fiow-
IJt^EI cry meads and deemed be bad never seen any

f 2 67

80 fair. End afar off toward the bille be saw a great
roof arieing, and thought he could eee men also;
and nigber to him were kine pasturing, and horses
also, whereof some drew anear him and stretched
out their necks and gazed at him; and they were
goodly after their kind; and a fair stream of water
came round the corner out of the wood and down
the meadows to the sea; and Hallblithe went thereto
and could see that there was but little ebb and flow
of the tide on that shore; for the water of the
stream was clear as glass, and the grass and flow/
crs grew right down to its water; so he put off his
helm and drank of the stream and washed his face
and his hands therein, and then did on his helm a-
again and turned back again toward the wood, feel-
ing very strong and merry ;and he looked out sea-
ward and saw the Ship of the Isle of Ransom les-
sening fast; for a little land wind had arisen and
they had spread their sails to it; and he lay down
on the grass till the four folk of the country came
out of the wood again, after they had been gone
somewhat less than an hour, but the Sea /eagle was
not with them: and Rallblithe rose up and turned
to them, and the carle saluted him and departed,
going straight toward that far/away roof he had
seen ; and the women were left with Hallblithe, and
they looked at him and he at them as he stood lean-
ingon his spear.

^^^nSJS said the black /haired damsel: ''True
C^^ it is, O spearman, that if we did not know
^^a?3 of thee, our wonder would be great that a
man so young & lucky/looking shou Id have sought
hither''j?''lwot not why thou shouldest wonder,'*
68

saidnallblitbc; ''twill tell tbce presently wherefore
1 come bitber. But tell me, is tbis tbe Land of tbe
Glittering plain P^j^'^Bven so/' said tbe damsel,
''dost tbou not see bow tbe sun sbinetb on it?7ust
so it sbinetb in tbe season tbatotber folks call win-
ter*' J? "Some sucb marvel X tbougbt to bear of/'
said be; "fori bave been told tbat tbe land is mar-
vellous ; and fair tbougb tbese meadows be, tbey are
not marvellous to looh on now: tbey are like otber
lands, tbougb it may be, fairer "jj^"tlbat may be,"
sbe said; "we bave nougbt but bearsay of otber
lands. If we ever knew tbem we bave forgotten
tbem"j!^Said Hallblitbe, "Is tbis land called also
tbeHcre of tbe Qndying?"
^^S be spake tbe words tbe smile faded from
^1 tbe damsel's face; sbe and ber fellows grew
'^''^^ pale, and sbe said: " Hold thy peace of sucb

words! Hbey are not lawful for any man to utter
bere. Y^^ mayst tbou call it tbe Land of tbe Liv-
ing "j^Re said: "X crave pardon for tbe rasb word"
j^XIben tbey smiled again, and drew near to bim,
and caressed bim witb tbeir bands, and looked on
bim lovingly; but be drew a little aback from tbem
and said: "X bave come bitber seeking something
wbicb X bave lost, tbe lack whereof grievetb me"j^
Quoth the damsel, drawing nearer to him again :
"fvlayst tbou find it, thou lovely man, and whatso-
ever else tbou desirest/'

inSJS be said: "Rath a woman named the

Hostage been brought hither of late days?

H fair woman, brigbt/haired and gray/eyed,
kind of countenance, soft of speech, yet outspoken
and nought timorous; tall accordingtoourstature,
f 3 69

but very goodly of fashion ; a woman of tbc Rouse
of tbc Rose, and my trotbpUgbt maiden ''ji?TIbey
looked on eacbotber and sbook tbeir beads, and tbc
black/baircd damsel spake: ''Qle know of no sucb
a woman, nor of tbc kindred wbicb tbou namest"
jj^TTben bis countenance fell, and became piteous
witb desire and grief, and be bent bis brows upon
tbem, for tbey seemed to bim ligbt/minded & care-
less, tbougb tbey were lovely.

Crc tbey sbrank from bim trembling, and
drew aback; for tbey bad all been standing
close to bim, bebolding bim witb love, and
sbewbo bad spoken most bad been bolding bis left
band fondly. But now sbe said: '']^ay, look not on
us so bitterly t If tbe woman be not in tbe land, tbis
cometb not of our malice. Y^t maybe sbe is bere. for
sucb as come bitber keep not tbeir old names, and
soon forget tbem wbat tbey were. Tbou sbalt go
witb us to tbe King, and be sball do for tbee wbat
tbou wilt; for be is exceeding migbty "j^Tben was
Rallblitbe appeased somewbat; and be said: ''Hre
tbere many women in tbe land?'' J^''Y^^» many/'
saidtbatdamselj^'^Hndmanytbatareasfairasye
be?" said be. tlben tbey laugbed and were glad, and
drew near to bim again and took bis bands & kissed
tbem ; and tbe black/baired damsel said: '* Y^^^ yea,
tbere be many as fair as we be, and some fairer," and
sbe laugbed^'' Hnd tbat King of yours," said be,
*' bow do ye name bim ? " *' He is tbe King," said tbe
damsel. ** Ratb be no otber name?" said nallblitbe.
*'CClemaynot utter it," sbe said: ''but tbou sbaltsee
bim soon, tbat tbere isnougbt but good in bim and
mightiness."
70

Ch^f^tfr X^ The Sca/caglc rcncwctb his lifc^^

a XI while they spake together
thus, came a man from out of the
wood very tall of stature, red/
bearded and black/haired, ruddy/
cheeked, full/limbed, most joyous
of aspect; a man by seeming of
five and thirty winters. Re strode
straight up to nallblithe, and cast
his arms about him, and kissed his cheek, as if he
had been an old and dear friend newly come from
over seas jS^Rallblithe wondered and laughed, and
said : '* CHho art thou that deemest me so dear ? " JP
Said the man: ^* Short is thy memory. Son of the

Raven, that tbou in so little space bast forgotten
tby sbipmate and tby faring/fellow; wbo gave tbec
meat and drinh, and good rede in tbe Hall of tbe
Ravagers/' Hbercwitb be laugbcd & joyously turned
about to tbe tbree maidens and took tbem by tbe
bands and kissed tbeir lips, wbiletbey fawned upon
bim lovingly j^riben said Rallblitbe: ^'Hast tbou
verily gotten tby youtb again, wbicb tbou badest
mewisbtbee?*'

SHf in good sootb/' said tbe red /bearded
man; ^'1 am tbe Sea/eagle of old days; and
I bave gotten my youtb, and love tberewitb-
al, and somewbat to love moreover/' XTberewitb be
turned to tbe fairest of tbe damsels, and sbe was
wbite/skinned and fragrant as tbe lily, rose/cbeeked
and slender, and tbewind played witb tbe long locks
of ber golden bair, wbicb bun g down below ber knees;
so be cast bis arms about ber and strained ber to
bis bosom, and kissed ber face many times, and sbe
notbing lotb,but caressing bim witb lips and band.
But tbe otber two damsels stood by smiling and
joyous: and tbey clapped tbeir bands togetber and
kissed eacb otber for joy of tbe new lover ; an d at last
fell to dancingand skippingabout tbem like young
lambs in tbemeadowsof spring/tide. But amongst
tbem all, stood up Rallblitbe leaning on bis spear
witb smiling lips and knitted brow; for be was pon-
dering in bis mind in wbat wise bemigbt furtber bis
quest J^ But after tbey bad danced a wbile tbe Sea-
eagle left bis love tbat be bad cbosen & took a band
of eitber of tbe two otber damsels, & led tbem trip-
ping up to Hallblitbcand cried out: ''Cboose tbou.
Raven's baby, wbicb of tbesc twain tbou wilt bave
72

to tby mate; for scarcely sbalt tbou sec better or

fairer"j^But Rallblitbe looked on tbcm proudly

andstcrnly,and tbeblach/baired damsel bungdown

ber bead before bim and said softly: '')Vay, nay,

,sea/warrior; tbis one is too lovely to be our mate.

*^ Sweeter love abides bim, and lips more longed for."

fc^^ J^y^nejV stirred Rallblitbe's beart witbin

bim and be said : '* O Bagle of tbe Sea,

tbou bast tby youtb again : wbat tben

wilt tbou do witb it ? CQilt tbou not

weary for tbe moonlit main, and tbe

wasbing of waves and tbe dasbing of

spray, and tby fellows all glistering witb tbe brine?

ODlbere now sball be tbe alien sbores before tbee, and

tbe landing for fame, and departure for tbe gain of

goods? Qlilt tbou forget tbe sbip's black side, and

tbedrippingof tbewindwardoars, as tbe squall fal-

letb on wben tbe sun batb arisen, & tbe sail tuggetb

bard on tbe sbeet, and tbe sbip lietb over and tbe lads

sboutagainst tbewbistleof tbewind?r)astbe spear

fallen from tbine band, & bast tbou buried tbe sword

of tby f atbers in tbe grave from wbicb tby body batb

escaped ? (Hbat art tbou, O Warrior, in tbe land of

tbe alien & tbe King? Ulbo sball beed tbee or tell tbe

tale of tby glory,wbicb tbou bast covered over witb

tbe bandof aligbt woman,wbom tby kindred know-

etb not, and wbo was not born in a bouse wberefrom

it batb been appointed tbee from of old to take tbe

pleasureof woman ? Qlbose tbrall art tbou now,tbou

lifter of tbe spoil, tbou scarer of tbe freebom ? Xlbc

biddingof wbat lordorKing wilt tbou do, O Cbief-

tain, tbat tbou mayst eat tby meat in tbe morning

and lie soft in tby bed in tbe evening? O 03arrior of

73

the Ravagcrs^berc stand X, HaUblitbc of tbc Raven,
and X am cotnc into an alien land beset witb marvels
to seeh mine own, and find tbat wbicb is dearest to
mine beart; to wit, my trotbpligbt maiden, tbe Hos/
tage of tbe Rose, tbe fair woman wbo sball lie in my
bed, and bear me cbildren, and stand by me in field
and fold, by tbwart and gun wale, before tbe bow and
tbe spear, by tbe flickering of tbe cooking/ fire, and
amidst tbe blaze of tbe burning ball, and beside tbc
bale/fire of tbe warrior of tbcRaven.O Sea/eagle, my
guester amongst tbe foemen, my fellow/farer and
sbipmate, say now on cc for all wbetber tbou wilt belp
me in my quest, or fall off from me as a dastard t *'
^^g^GHXJV tbe maidens sbrank before bis clear
Wp^K and bigb/raised voice, & tbey trembled and
^Sijlill grew pale j^ But tbc Sea/eagle laugbed from
acountenancekindwitbjoy,andsaid:''Cbildof tbe
Raven, tby words are good and manly: but it avail/
ctb nougbt in tbis land, & X wot not bow tbou wilt
fare, or wby tbou bast been sent amongst us.CKbat
wilt tbou do ? Hadst tbou spoken tbese words to
Long/boary, tbe Gran dfatber, yesterday, bis ears
would bave been deaf to tbem; and now tbat tbou
speakest tbem to tbe Sea/eagle, tbis joyous man on
tbe 6litteringpiain,becannotdo according to tbem,
for tbere is no otber land tban tbis wbicb can bold
bim. Here be is strongand stark,and full of joyand
love ; but otberwbere be would be but a gibbering
gbost drifting down tbe wind of nigbtXberefore
in wbatsoever tbou mayst do witbin tbis land Xwill
stand by tbee and belp tbee; but notone incb beyond
it may my foot go, wbetber it be down into tbe brine
of tbe sea, or up into tbe clefts of tbe mountains
74

wbicb arc the wall of this goodly land. TIbou bast
been my sbipmate and X love tbee, 1 am tby friend ;
but bere in tbis land must needs be tbe love and tbe
friendsbip.fornogbostcanlovetbee,nogbostmay
belp tbee. Hnd as to wbat tbou say est concerning tbe
days gone past and our joys upon tbe tumbling sea,
true it is tbat tbose days were good and lovely; but
tbey are dead and gone like tbe lads wbo sat on tbe
tbwart beside us, & tbe maidens wbo took our bands
in tbe ball to lead us to tbe cbamber. Otber days bavc
come in tbeir stead, & otber friends sball cberisb us.
<nbattben?Sballwewoundtbelivingtopleasuretbe
dead,wbo cannot beed it? Sball we curse tbcYuletide,
and cast foul water on tbe Roly Reartb of tbe winter
feast, because tbe summer once was fair and tbedays
flit & tbe times cbange? JVow let us be glad! for life
livetb/'

\T)SRSmXCr> be turned about to bis dam/
sel and kissed ber on tbe moutb. But Rall-
blitbe's face was grown sad and stem, and
be spake slowly & beavily : ''So is it, sbipmate, tbat
wbereas tbou sayest tbat tbe days flit, for tbee tbey
sball flit no more; & tbe day may come for tbeewben
tbousbalt be weary, & know it, and long for tbe lost
wbicb tbou bast forgotten. But bereof it availetb
nougbt for me to speak any longer, for tbine ears
are deaf to tbese words, and tbou wilt not bear tbem.
ITberefore 1 say no more save tbat X tbank tbee for
tby belp wbatsoever it may be ; and 1 will take it, for
tbe day s work lietb before me, & 1 begin to tbin k tbat
it may be beavy enougb/

75

ft

ne women yet looked downcast, as if tbey
would be gone out of earshot ; but tbe Sea-
eagle laughed as one who is well content, &
said: **trhou thyself wilt mahc it hard for thyself
after the wont of thy proud & haughty race ; but for
me nothing is hard any longer; neither thy scorn
nor thy forebodings of evil. Be thou my friend as
much as thou canst, and 1 will be thine wholly. J^ow
ye worn en, whither will ye lead us? for X am ready to
see any new thing yewill show us "j^ Said his dam-
sel : '' CQe will take you to the King, that your hearts
may be the more gladdened. Hnd as for thy friend the
Spearman, O Sea/warrior, let not his heart be down-
cast, mbo wotteth but that these two desires, the
desire of his heart, and the desire of a heart for him,
may not be one and the same desire, so that he shall
be fully satisfied ?"Hs she spoke she looked side-
Ion gat r)allblithe,with shy andwheedling eyes;and
he wondered at her word, and a new hope sprang up
in his heart that he was presently to be brought face
to face with the Hostage, and that this was that love,
sweeter than their love, which abode in him, and his
heart became lighter, and his visage cleared.

76

Chapter XIL Tbcy looh on tbc Kingof the CUttcr-

I in g plain ;^^

\0 now tbc women led tbem along up tbc
stream, and Rallblitbe went side by side by
tbe Sea/eagle; but tbe women bad become al-

together merry again, and played & ran about tbcm
ae gamesome as young goats; and tbey waded tbe
sballows of tbe clear bngbt stream bare /foot to
wasb tbeir limbs of tbe seabrine, and strayed about
tbe meadows, plucking tbe flowers & making tbem
wreatbs and cbaplets, wbicb tbey did upon them-
selves & tbe Sea/eagle; but Hallblitbe tbey touched
not, for still they feared him. tibcy went on as the
stream led tbem up toward tbe hills, and ever were
tbe meads about tbem as fair and flowery as might
be. folk they saw afar off, but fell in with none for
a good while, saving a man and a maid clad lightly
as for mid/summer days, who were wandering to-
gether lovingly and happily by tbe stream side, and
who gazed wonderingly on tbe stark Sea/eagle, and
on nallblitbe with his glittering spear, tihe black-
haired damsel greeted these twain and spake some-
thing to tbem, and they laughed merrily, & the man
stooped down amongst the grasses and blossoms
of the bank, and drew forth a basket, and spread
dainty victuals on tbe grass under a willow/ tree,
& bade them be bis guests that fair afternoon. So
they sat down there above the glistering stream &
ate and drank and were merry. thereafter the new-
comers and tbeir way/ leaders departed with kind
words, and still set their faces towards the hills.

XI last they saw before them a little
wooded bill, and underneath it some-
thing red and shining, Mother colour-
ed things gleaming in the sun about
it. TTben said the Sea/eagle: ''CQbat
have we yonder?" Said his damsel:
'Abatis tbe pavilion of tbe King; and about it are
78

tbc tents and tilts of our folk who arc of bis fellow-
ship: for oft be abidetb in tbe fields witb tbem,
tbougb be batb bouses and balls as fair as tbe beart
of man can conceive/' ''T)atb beno foemen to fear?**
said tbe Sea/eagle. ''Row sbould tbat be?" said tbe
damscL *'Xf percbance any came into tbis land to
bring war upon bim, tbeir battle/anger sbould de-
part wben once tbe bliss of tbe Glittering plain bad
entered into tbeir souls, and tbey would ask for
nougbt but leave to abide bere and be bappy. 'Yet 1
trow tbat if be bad foemen be could crusb tbem as
easily as X set my foot on tbis daisy/'

O as tbey went on tbey fell in witb many folk,
men and women, sporting & playing in tbe
fields ; and tbere was no semblance of eld on
any of tbem, and no scar or blemisb or feebleness of
body or sadness of countenance; nor did any bear a
weapon or any piece of armour. J^ow some of tbem
gatbered about tbe new/comers, and wondered at
Rallblitbe and bis long spear and sbining belm and
dark gray byrny; but none asked concerning tbem,
for all knew tbat tbey were folk newcometotbe bliss
oftbeClitteringpiain.Sotbcypassedamidsttbese
fair folk little bindered by tbem, & into Hallblitbe's
tbougbtsitcame bow joyous tbe fellowship of sucb
sbould be and bow bis beart sbould be raised by tbe
sight of tbem, if only bis trotb/pligbt maiden were
by bis side.

JRQS tben tbey came to tbe King's pavilion,
wbereitstoodinabigbtof tbemeadow/land
at tbe foot of tbe bill, witb tbe wood about
it on three sides. So fair a house Rallblitbe deemed
be bad never seen ; for it was wrought all over witb

79

bietorics and flowers, & with bcms sewn with gold
and with orpbreys of gold and pearl and gemsj^
^berc in tbe door of it sat tbe King of tbe Land in
an ivory cbair; be was clad in a golden gown, girt
witb a girdle of gems, & bad bis crown on bis bead
and bis sword by bis side, for tbis was tbe bour
wberein be beard wbat any of bis folk would say to
bim,and for tbat very end be sat tbere in tbe door of
bis tent, and folk were standing before bim, & sit-
ting and lying on tbe grass round about; and now
one, now anotber, came up to bim and spoke before
bim j^ His face sbone like a star; it was exceeding
beauteous, and as kind as tbe even of )VIay in tbe
gardens of tbe bappy, wben tbe scent of tbe eglan-
tine fills all tbe air, (Dben be spoke bis voice was so
sweet tbat all bearts were ravisbed, and none migbt
gainsay bim.

i^^^Crc wben Rallblitbc set eyes on bim, be knew
kI^^ at once tbat tbis was be wbose carvcn image
^^Sl be bad seen in tbe ball of tbe Ravagers, and
bis beart beat fast, and be said to bimself : ''Hold
up tbine bead now, O Son of tbe Raven, strengtben
tbine beart, and let no man or god cow tbee. for bow
can tbine beart cbange, wbicb bade tbee go to tbe
bouse wberef rom itwas due to tbee to take tbe plea-
sure of woman, and tbere to pledge tbyfaitb&trotb
to ber tbat lovetb tbee most, and bankeretb for tbee
day bv day and bour by bour, so tbat great is tbe
love tnatwe twain bave builded up?''JS[owtbeydrew
nigb, for folk fell back before tbem to tbe rigbt and
left, as before men wbo are new come and bave mucb
to do; so tbat tbere was nougbt between tbem and
tbe face of tbe King. But be smiled upon tbem so
80

that be cheered tbeir hearts with the hope of fulfil-
ment of their desires, and he said:

aeLCOJVie, children t Olho be these whom
I ye have brought hither for the increase of
Hour joy?CClbois this tall, ruddy/faced, joy-
ous man so meet for the bliss of the Glittering
plain ? Hnd who is this goodly and lovely young
man, who beareth weapons amidst our peace, and
whose face is sad and stern beneath the gleaming
of his helm ?"j!? Said the dark/haired damsel: *'0
King! O Gift/giver and assurerof joy t this tall one
is he who was once oppressed by eld, and who hath
come hither to thee from the Isle of Ransom, ac-
cording to the custom of the land/' Said the King:
**Oll man, itiswell that thou artcome.]Vowarethy
days changed and thou yet alive, for thee battle is
ended, and therewith the reward of battle, which the
warriorrememberethnotamidstthehard hand/play:
peace hath begun, and thou needest not be careful
for the endurance thereof: for in this land no man
hath a lack which he may not satisfy without taking
aught from any other. 1 deem not that thine heart
may conceive a desire which 1 shall not fulfil for
thee, or crave a gift which 1 shall not give thee*'j^
tlhen the Sea/eagle laughed for joy, and turned his
head this way and that, so that he might the better
take to him the smiles of all those that stood around
jj^rhen the King said to Rallblithe: ^'Xlhou also
art welcome;! know thee who thou art: meseemeth
great joy awaiteth thee, and Iwill fulfil thy desire to
the uttermost "j^Said nallblithe: *'0 great King
of a happy land, X ask of thee nought save that
which none shall withhold frommc uncursed^j^*'!
gi 8i

will give it to tbcc/' said the King, "and tbou sbalt
blees inc. Butwbat is it wbicb tbou wouldst? ^bat
more canst tbou bave tban tbe Gifts of tbc land?''
^^gjlHtD Rallblitbe : ''1 came bitber seeking no
^^^ 0if ts, but to bave mine own again ; and tbat
^^^ IS tbe bodily love of my trotb/pligbt maiden.

tibey stole ber from me, & me from ber ; for sbe loved
me. X went down to tbc sea/side and found ber not,
nor tbe sbip wbicb bad borne ber away. I sailed from
tbence to tbc Isle of Ransom, for tbey told me tbat
tbcre X sbould buy ber for a price; neitber was ber
body tbcre. But ber image came to me in a dream of
tbe nigbt,and bade me seek to ber bitber. ITbcrcf ore,
O King, if sbe be bere in tbe land, sbow me bow X
sball find ber, and if sbe be not bere, sbow me bow X
may depart to seek ber otberwberc. TIbis is all my
asking*'jj7 Said tbe King: ''XTby desire sball be sa-
tisfied; tbou sbalt bave tbe woman wbo would bave
tbee, and wbom tbou sbouldst bave ''J^ Hallblitbc
was gladdened beyond measure by tbat word; and
now did tbc King seem to bim a comfort & a solace
to every bcart, even as be bad deemed of bis carven
image m tbe Rail of tbe Ravagers; and be tbankcd
bim,<& blessed bim ^ But tbc King bade bim abide
by bim tbat nigbt, and feast witb bim.^'Hnd on tbc
morrow," said be, ''tbou sbalt go tby ways to look
on ber wbom tbou ougbtest to love.''

inBRG^Xt^fl* was come tbe eventide & be-
ginning of nigbt, warm and fragrant and
brigbt witb tbc twinkling of stars, and tbey
went into tbe King's pavilion, & tbcre was tbe feast
as fair and dainty as migbt be; and Rallblitbe bad
meat from tbc King's own disb,and drink from bis
82

cup; but the meat bad no savour to bim & tbc drink
no dcligbt, because of tbe longing tbat possessed
bim. Hnd wben tbe feast was done, tbe damsels led
Hallblitbe to bis bed in a fair tent strewn witb gold
about bis bead like tbe starry nigbt, and be lay down
and slept for sbeer weariness of body.

gz 83

Sca/caglc said to him : **T)crc ami well honoured and
meaeurelessly happy ; and 1 have a message for thee
from the King^j? ^'(Ohat is it?"said Hallblithe;
but he deemed that he knew what it would be, and he
reddened for the joy of his assured hopejj^Said the
Sea/eagle : ''^oy to thee,0 shipmate H am to take thee
to the place where thy beloved abideth, & there shalt
thou see her, but not so as she can see thee ; & there-
after shalt thou go to the King, that thou mayst tell
him if she shall accomplish thy desire "j^XIhen was
Hallblithe glad beyond measure, & his heart danced
within him,& he deemed it but meet that the others
should be so joyous and blithe with him, for they
led him along without any delay, and were glad at
his rejoicing ; and words failed him to tell of his
gladness.

I^^^CC as he went, the thoughts of his coming
gf^^ converse with his beloved curled sweetly
^^Sl round his heart, so that scarce anything had
seemed so sweet to him before; & he fell a/ponder-
ing what they twain, he and the Hostage, should do
when they came together again ; whether they should
abide on the Glittering plain, or go back again to
Cleveland by the Sea and dwell in the Rouse of the
Kindred; and for his part he yearned to behold the
roof of his fathers and to tread the meadow which
his scythe had swept, and the acres where his hook
had smitten the wheat. But he said to himself :''!
will wait till 1 hear her desire hereon "jj^ JVow they
went into the wood at the back of the King's pavil-
ion and through it, and so over the hill, and beyond
it came into a land of hills and dales exceeding fair
and lovely; and a river wound about the dales, lap-

03 85

ping in turn the feet of one bill/side or the other; &
in each dale (for tbey passed through two) was a
goodly house of men, and tillage about it, and vine-
yards and orchards. TThey went all day till the sun
was near setting, and were not weary, for they turn-
ed into the houses by the way when tbey would, and
had good welcome, & meat and drink, and what they
would of the folk that dwelt thereXbus anigh sun-
set they came in to a dale fairer than either of the oth-
ers, & nigh to the end where they had entered it was
an exceeding goodly house. XThen said the damsel :
''(He are nigh/hand to our journey's end; let us sit
down on the grass by this river/side whilst! tell thee
the tale which the King would have thee know."

O they sat down on the grass beside the brim-
ming river, scant two bowshots from that
fair bouse, & the damsel said, reading from
a scroll which she drew from her bosom : '' O Spear-
man,in yonder house dwelleththewoman foredoom-
ed to love thee: if thou wouldst see her, go thither-
ward,following the path which turn eth from the riv-
er/side by yonder oak/tree, and thou shalt presently
come to a thicket of bay /trees at the edge of an ap-
ple/orchard,wbose trees are blossoming ; abide thou
hidden by the bay/leaves, and thou shaltseemaidens
come into the orchard, and at last one fairer than all
the others. Xlbis shall be thy love foredoomed, and
none other; and thou shalt know her by this token,
that when she hath set her down on the grass beside
the bay/tree, she shall say to her maidens t'Bringme
now the book wherein is the image of my beloved,
that 1 may solace myself with beholding it before
the sun goes down and the night cometh.' "
86

lOCd HaUblitbc was troubled wbcn
ebc readout tbc9C words, and beeaid:
*'CKbat 19 tbie tale about a booh? 1
know not of any book tbat lietb be-
twixt me & my beloved ''J9 ** O Spear-
man/' said tbe damsel/' Imay tell tbee
no more, becauselknow no more^But keep up tbine
beartt for dost tbou know any more tbanldo wbat
batb befallen tby beloved since tbou wert sundered
from ber? and wby sbould not tbis matter of tbe
book be one of tbe tbings tbat batb befallen ber?
Go now witb joy, and come again blessing us" ji?
''Yea, go, fanng/fellow,'' said tbe Sea/eagle, "and
come back joyful, tbat we may all be merry togetber.
Hnd we will abide tbee bere/'

jHLLBUCne foreboded evil, but be beld
bis peace and went bis ways down tbe patb
by tbe oak/tree; and tbey abode tbere by tbe
water/side, and were very merry talking of tbis and
tbat (but no wbit of Hallblitbe), and kissing and
caressing eacb otber; so tbat it seemed but a little
wbile to tbem ere tbey saw Rallblitbe coming back
by tbe oak/ tree, He went slowly, banging bis bead
like a man sore/burdened witb grief: tbus be came
up to tbem, and stood tbere above tbem as tbey lay
on tbe fragrant grass, and be saying no word and
looking so sad and sorry, and witbal so fell, tbat
tbey feared bis grief and bis anger, and would fain
bave been away from bim ; so tbat tbey durst not
ask bim a question for a long wbile, & tbe sun sank
below tbe bill wbile tbey abided tbus.

g4

87

W^^ip^l^ ^^^ trembling the damsel spake to the
m^^ Sea/eagle: ''Speak to bim, dear friend, else
H8^^ must 1 flee away, for 1 fear bis silence"j^
Quotb tbe Sea/eagle: ''Sbipmate and friend, wbat
batb betided? Row art tbou?JVIay we bearken, and
may bappen amend it ? " j^tlben Hallblitbe cast bim-
self adown on tbe grass & said : '' 1 am accursed and
beguiled; andlwander round and round in a tangle
tbatlmaynot escape from. lam not far from deem-
ing tbat tbis is a land of dreams made for my be-
guiling. Or bas tbe eartb become so full of lies, tbat
tbereisnoroomamidsttbemforatruemantostand
upon bis feet & go bis ways?''j^Said tbe Sea/eagle:
''ITbou sbalt tell us of wbat batb betid, and so ease
tbe sorrow of tby soul if tbou wilt. Or if tbou wilt,
tbou sbalt nurse tby sorrow in tbine beart and tell
no man. Do wbat tbou wilt; am 1 not become tby
fnend?"

^^^HXO nallblitbe: ''1 will tell you twain tbe
f^y^K tidings, and tbereaf ter ask me no morecon-
l^^j^ ceming tbem. Hearken. I went wbereas ye
bade me, and bid myself in tbe bay/tree tbicket ; and
tbere came maidens into tbe blossoming orcbard&
made a resting/place witb silken cusbions close to
wbere X was lurking, & stood about as tbougb tbey
were looking for some one to comej^ln a little time
cametwomoremaidens,&betwixttbemonesomucb
fairer tban any tbere, tbat my beart sank witbin me:
wbereas 1 deemed because of ber fairness tbat tbis
would be tbeforedoomed love wbereof ye spake, and
lo,sbewasinnougbtliketomytrotb/pligbtmaiden,
save tbat sbe was exceedin g beau teous : n evertbeless,
beart/sick as X was, X determined to abide tbe token
88

that yc told mc of. So she lay down amidst those
cu8bions,andtbcbeldbcrtbatsbcwa88adof coun-
tenance; and sbc was so near to me tbatlcouldsee
tbetear8wellingintobcreyes,andrunningdownber
cbeehs ; so tbat X sbould bave grieved sorely for ber
badlnot been grieving 60 sorely for myself, f^or pre-
sently sbe sat up and said: 'O maiden, bring me
bitber tbe book wberein is tbe image of my beloved,
tbatXmay bebold it in tbis season of sunset wbere-
in 1 first bebeld it; tbat X may fill my beart witb tbe
sigbt tbereof before tbe sun is gone and tbe dark
nigbt come'jj^TTben indeedmy beart died witbinme
wben X wotted tbat tbis was tbe love wbereof tbe
King spake, tbat be would give to me, and sbe not
mine own beloved, yet X could not cboose but abide
and look on awbile, and sbe being one tbat any man
migbt love beyond measurej!?JVow a maiden went
awayintotbebouseandcamebackagain witb a book
covered witb gold set witb gems ; and tbe fair woman
took it andopened it, and X was so near to ber tbat X
saw every leaf clearly as sbe turned tbe leaves. Hnd
in tbat book were pictures of many tbings,as flam-
ing mountains, and castles of war, and sbips upon
tbe sea, but cbiefly of fair women, and queens, and
warriors and kings; and it was done in go Id & azure
and cinnabar & miniumj^So sbe turned tbe leaves,
till sbe came to one wbereon was pictured none otber
tban myself, and over against me was tbe image of
mine own beloved, tbe Hostage of tbe Rose, as if sbe
were alive, so tbat tbe beart witbin me swelled witb
tbe sobbing wbicbXmustneeds refrain, wbicb griev-
ed me like a sword/stroke. Sbame also took bold of
me as tbe fair woman spoke to my painted image,

89

andl lying wcU/nigb within touch of her hand; but
9bc said: *0 my beloved, why dost thou delay to
come to me? for t deemed that this eve at least thou
wouldst come, so many & strong as are the meshes
of love which we have cast about thy feet* Oh come
to/morrowat the least and latest,orwhat shallXdo,
and wherewith shalll quench the grief of my heart?
Or else why am 1 the daughter of the On dying King,
the Lord of theOeasureof theSea?QIhy have they
wrought new marvels for me, and compelled the
Ravagers of the Coasts to serve me, and sent false
dreams flitting on the wings of the night ?Yca, why
is the earth fair and fruitful, and the heavens kind
above it, if thou comest not to/night, nor to/mor-
row, nor the day after? Hnd 1 the daughter of the
Undying, on whom the days shall grow and grow
asthegrainsof sand which the wind heaps up above
the sea/beach. Hnd life shall grow huger and more
hideous round about the lonely one, like the lincf-
worm laid upon the gold, that waxeth thereby, till it
liesallroundaboutthehouseofthequeen entrapped,
themovelessunendingringof the years that change
not'j^Soshespake till the weepingendedherwords,
and Iwas all abashed with shame and pale with an-
guish. 1 stole quietly from my lair unheeded of any,
save that one damsel said that a rabbit ran in the
hedge, and another that a blackbird stirred in the
thicket. Behold me, then, that my quest beginneth
again amidst the tangle of lies wherein to X have been
entrapped/*

90

Chapter XIV, RallbUtbc bae spcccb witb the King
again ^^

I^S stood up when be had made an

end, as a man ready for the road;

but they lay there downcast and

abashedt and bad no words to

answer him J^ for the Sea /eagle

was sorry that his faring/fellow

was hapless, & was sorry that he

was sorry ; and as for the damsel,

she bad not known but that she was leading the

goodly Spearman to the fulfilment of his heart's

desire,Hlbeit afterawhile she spakeagain and said:

Dear friends, day is gone and night is at hand;

now to/nigbt it were lU lodging at yonder bouec; ^
the next bouse on our backward road is over far for
wayworn folk. But bard by tbrougb tbc tbicket is a
fair little wood/lawn, by tbe lip of a pool in tbe
stream wberein we may batbe us to/morrow morn-
ing; and it is grassy and flowery and sbeltered from
all winds tbat blow, and 1 bave victual enougb in my
wallet. Let us sup and rest tbere under tbe bare bea-
ven, asof t is tbe wont of us in tbis land; andon tbe
morrow early we will arise and get us back again to
QKood/end,wbere yet tbe King abide tb, & tbere sbalt
tbou talk to bim again, O Spearman ''j^Said Rall-
blitbei ''^akc me wbitber ye will; but now nougbt
availetb. 1 am a captive in a land of lies, & bere most
like sballl live betrayedand die bapless/' ''Hold tby
peace, dear friend, of sucbwordsastbose last,'' said
sbe, '*or 1 must needs flee from tbee, for tbey burt
me sorely. Come now to tbis pleasant place "i^Sbe
took bim by tbe band and looked kindly on bim, and
tbe Sea/eagle followed bim,murmuringanold song
of tbe barvest/field,and tbevwenttogetberbyapatb
tbrougb a tbicket of wbitetDom till tbey came unto
a grassy place, tlbere tben tbey sat tbem down, and
ate and drank wbat tbey would, sitting by tbe lip of
tbe pool till a waning moon was brigbt over tbeir
beads. Hnd Hallblitbe made no semblance of con-
tent: but tbe Sea/eagle and bis damsel were grown
merry again, and talked and sang togetber like au-
tumn stares, witb tbe kissing and caressingof lov-
ersj(^So at last tbose twain lay down amongst tbc
flowers, and slept in eacb otber's arms; but Hall-
blitbe betook bim to tbe brake a little aloof, and lay
down, but slept not till morning was at band, wben
slumber and confused dreams overtook bim.

92

I^^^B was awaked from bis sleep by the damsel,
IJMp wbo came pushing tbrougb tbe tbicket all
EIM^ fresb and rosy from tbe river, and roused
him, and said :*'Hwakc now, Spearman, tbat we may
take our pleasure in tbe sun ; for be is bigb in tbe
beavens now, and all tbe land laugbs beneatb bim''
j^Her eyes glittered as sbe spoke, and ber limbs
moved under ber raiment as tbougb sbe would pre-
sently fall to dancing for very joy. But Rallblitbe
arose wearily, and gave ber back no smile in answer,
but tbrust tbrougb tbe tbicket to tbe water, and
wasbed tbe nigbt from off bim, and so came back to
tbe twain as tbey sat dallying togetber over tbeir
breakfast. Re would not sit down by tbem, but ate
a morsel of bread as be stood, and said: ''Cell me
bow 1 can soonest find tbe King : X bid you not lead
me tbitber, but let me go my ways alone, forwitb
me time presses, and witb you meseemetb time is
nougbt. J^eitber am X a meet fellow for tbe bappy '*
j^But tbe Sea/eagle sprang up, and swore witb a
great oatb tbat be would nowise leave bis sbipmate
in tbe lurcb. Hnd tbe damsel said: ''fair man, X bad
bestgowitbtbee;X6ballnotbindertbee,butfurtber
tbee ratber, so tbat tbou sbalt make one day's jour-
ney of two^j^Hnd sbe put fortb ber band to bim,
and caressed bim smiling, & fawned upon bim, and
be beeded it little, but bung not aback from tbem
since tbey were ready for tbe road : so tbey set fortb
alltbrce togetber.

^^^r>SY made sucb diligence on tbe backward
M^^l road tbat tbe sun was not set by tben tbey
1^^^ came to CQood/end ; and tbere was tbe King
sitting in tbe door of bis pavilion. Cbitber went

93

f^aUblithc etraigbt^and thruet through the throng
and stood before the King; who greeted him kindly,
and was no less sweet of face than on that other
day j^ Hallblithe hailed him not, but said: ''King,
look on my anguish, and if thou art other than a
kingof dreams and lies, play no longer with me, but
tell me straight out if thou knowest of my troth-
plight maiden, whether she is in this land or not"
J^Xihzw the King smiled on him and said: *'Oue
it is that X know of her; yet know 1 not whether she
is in this land or not'' ^'' King," said Rallblithe,
''wilt thou bring us together and stay my heart's
bleeding?"j!?Said the King: "lcannot,sincelknow
not where she is "jj^"^hy didst thou lie to me the
other day ?" said Hallblithe jff "1 lied not," said the
King; "1 bade bring thee to the woman that loved
thee, and whom thou shouldst love; and that is my
daughter. Hnd look thou t Gven as 1 may not bring
thee to thine earthly love, so couldst thou not make
thyself manifest before my daughter, and become
her deathless love. Is it not enough?" j0 Re spake
sternly for all that he smiled, and Rallblithe said:
" O King, have pity on me I "j^" Y^a," said the King ;
"pity thee 1 do: but 1 will live despite thy sorrow;
my pity of theeshallnotslayme,ormakethee happy.
Gven in such wise didst thou pitymydaughtcr "j?
Said Rallblithe: "tThou art mighty, O King, and
maybe the mightiest, ^ilt thou not help me?" j^
"Row can 1 help thee," said the King, "thou who
wilt not help thyself? r^hou hast seen what thou
shouldst do: do it then and be holpen"j^irhen said
Rallblithe: "^ilt thou not slay me, O King, since
thou wilt not do aught else?"j^"]h^ay," said the

94

King, tby slaying wilt not serve me nor mine: I will
neither help nor binder. TTbou art free to seek tby
love wheresoever tbou wilt in tbis my realm. Depart
in peace!"
I^^^HLLBLltTRG saw tbat tbc King was an-

HhjUI ^^^' ^^^ ^^ smiled upon bim ; yet so coldly,
"IWBil tbat tbe face of bim froze tbe very marrow
of Hallblitbe's bones: and be said witbin bimself :
''tIbisKingof lies sball not slay me, tbougb mine
anguish be bard to bear: for X am alive, and it may
be that my love is in this land, &1 may find her here,
and bow to reach another land 1 know not/' So he
turned from before the face of tbe King as tbe sun
was setting,<Sihewent down tbe land southward be-
twixt the mountains & the sea,not heeding whether
it were night or day ; and he went on till it was long
past midnight, & then for mere weariness laid him
down under a tree, not knowing where be was, and
fell asleep.

)VD in the morning be woke up to the bright
sun, and found folk standing round about
bim, both men and women, and their sheep
were anigh them, for they were shepherd folk. So
when they saw that he was awake, they greeted bim,
and were blithe with bim and made much of him ;
and they took him home to their bouse, and gave
him to eat & to drink,and asked him what he would
that they might serve him.Hnd they seemed to bim
to be kind and simple folk, and though be loathed
to speak the words, so sick at heart be was, yet be
told them bow be was seeking bis troth /plight
maiden, his earthly love, and asked them to say if
they bad seen any woman like her.

95

i

HBY beard bim lundly and pitied bim, and
told bim bow tbey bad beard of a woman in
tbe land, wbo sougbt ber beloved even as be

eougbt bis. Hnd wben be beard tbat, bis beart leapt
up, and be asked tbem to tell bim more concerning
tbis woman. Tlben tbey said tbat sbe dwelt in tbe
bill/country in a goodly bouse, & bad set ber beart
on a lovely man, wbose image sbe bad seen in a
book, and tbat no man but tbis one would content
ber; and tbis, tbey said, was a sad and sorry matter,
sucb as was unbeard of bitberto in tbe land.

}0 wben Rallblitbe beard tbis, as beavily as
bis beart fell again, be cbanged not coun-
tenance, but tbanked tbe kind folk and de-
parted,& went on down tbe land betwixt tbe moun-
tains and tbe sea, and before nigbtfall be bad been
into tbree more bouses of folk, and asked tbere of
all comers concerning a woman wbo was sundered
from ber beloved; and at none of tbem gat be any
answer to make bim less sorry tban yesterday. Ht
tbe last of tbe tbree be slept, & on tbe morrow early
tbere was tbe work to begin again ; and tbe next day
was tbe same as tbe last, and tbe day after differed
not from it. tibus be went on seeking bis beloved
betwixt tbe mountains and tbe plain, till tbe great
rock/wall came down to tbe side of tbe sea and made
an end of tbe Glittering plain on tbat side.ITben
be turned about and went back by tbe way tbat be
bad come, & up tbe country betwixt tbe mountains
& tbe plain nortbward, until be bad been into every
bouse of folk in tbose parts and asked bis ques-
tion jj^TTben be went up into tbat fair country of
tbe dales, and even anigb to wbere dwelt tbe King's
96

Daughter, and otherwhere in the land and every-
where, quartering the realm of the Glittering plain
as the heron quarters the flooded meadow when the
waters draw aback into the river. So that now all
people knew him when he came, and they wondered
at him ; but when he came to any house for the third
or fourth time, they wearied of him, and were glad
when he departed.

'BRit wasoneof two answers that he had:
either folk said to him: '^XThere is no such
woman; this landis happy, and nought but
happy people dwell herein;" or else they told him
of the woman who lived in sorrow, & was ever look-
ing on a book, that she might bring to her the man
whom she desired j!^ OCIhiles he wearied and long-
ed for death, but would not die until there was no
comer of the land unsearched.CQhiles he shook off
weariness, and went about his quest as a craftsman
sets about his work in the morning. Whiles it irked
him to see the soft and merry folk of the land, who
had no skill to help him, & he longed for the house
of his fathers & the men of the spear & the plough ;
and thought: '' Oh, if 1 might but get me back, if it
were but for an hour and to die there, to the mea-
dows of the Raven, and the acres beneath the moun/
tains of Cleveland by the Sea.TThen at least should
i learn some tale of what is or what hath been, how-
soever evil the tidings were, and not to be bandied
about by lies for ever."

hi 97

people; and be said to himself :''! will speah yet a-
gain to this man, if indeed be be a man ; yea, tbougb
betummeintostone"j!?Hndbewentuptowardtbe
pavilion ; an don tbe way it came into bis mindwbat
tbe men of tbe kindred were doing tbat morning ; &
be bad a vision of tbem as it were, and saw tbem yok-
ing tbe oxen to tbe plougb, and slowly going down
tbe acres, as tbe sbining iron drew tbe long furrow
down tbe stubble/land, and tbe ligbt baze bung a-
bout tbe elm/ trees in tbe calm morning, & tbe smoke
rose straight into tbe air from tbe roof of tbe kin-
dred. Hndbesaid:'* Abatis tbis?am I deatb/doom-
ed tbis morning tbat tbis sight cometh so clearly
upon me amidst the falseness of this unchanging
land?"

^^^ROS he came to tbe pavilion, and folk fell
IP^ back before him to the right and the left, and
^^^be stood before tbe King, and said to him:
''1 cannot find her; she is not in thy land'^jj^^^ben
spake the King, smiling upon him, as erst: ''<£lbat
wilt thou then? Is it not time to res t?''^ He said:
**^ca,0 King; but not in this land/' Said the King:
''Sibere else than in tbis land wilt thou find rest?
Qlitbout is battle and famine, longing unsatisfied,
and heart/burning and fear; within it is plenty and
peace and goodwill and pleasure witboutceaseXby
word hath no meaning to me"j(^Saith nallblithe:
*'6iveme leave to depart,^! will bless thee ''j^'^ls
there nought else to do?'' said the King. '']Vought
else," said nallblitbej(^Cberewith be felt tbat tbe
King's face changed though be still smiled on him,
andagain he felt bis heart grow cold before theKing
j^But tbe King spake and said: *'X binder not thy
hz 99

departure, nor will any of my folk. ]Vo band will be
raieed against tbee ; tberc is no weapon in all tbe
land, save tbedeedless eword by my side & tbe wea-
pons wbicb tbou bearest." Said Rallblitbe: ''Dost
tbounotowemeajoy in return formybeguiling?'*j^
^'Y^a/'eaxd tbe King/'reacb out tbine band to take
it**j^''Onetbingonly mayXtake of tbee/'said Rall-
blitbe; ''my trotbpligbt maiden or else tbe speeding
of my departure" j^Cben said tbe Kin g,& bis voice
was terrible tbougbyet be smiled:"Xwillnotbinder;
1 will not belp. Depart in peace I '*

HBJS Rallblitbe turned away dizzy and balf
fainting, and strayed down tbe field, scarce
knowing wbere be was;andas be wentbe felt
bis sleeve plucked at, and turned about, and lot be
was face to face witb tbe Sea/eagle, no less joyous
tban aforetime. T)c took nallblitbe in bis arms and
embraced bim and kissed bim,and said: "(Jlell met
faring/fellow?CQbitberaway?"j^"Hwayoutoftbis
land of lies," said Hallblitbe. tTbe Sea/eagle sbook
bis bead, and quotb be : " Hrt tbou still seeking a
dream ? and tbou so fair tbat tbou puttest all otber
men to sbame"j!^"Iseek no dream,"said Hallblitbe,
"but ratber tbe end of dreams "^"Cdell," said tbe
Sea/eagle, " we will not wrangle about it. But beark-
en. Hard by in a pleasant nook of tbe meadows bave
Isetupmy tent ; and altbougb it be not as big as tbe
King's pavilion, yet it is fair enougb. <nilt tbou not
come tbitber witb me and rest tbee to/nigbt ; and to-
morrow we will talk of tbis matter?"

lOCQ Rallblitbe was weary and confused,
and down/bearted beyond bis wont, & tbe
friendly words of tbe Sea/eagle softened bis

lOO

heart, and be emiled on bim and said: *'l give tbee
tbanhs;! will come witb tbee: tbou art kind, & bast
done nougbt to me save good from tbe time wben
1 first saw tbee lying in tby bed in tbe Rail of tbe
Ravagers. Dost tbou remember tbe day ?"j^ tTbe
Sea /eagle knitted bis brow as one striving witb a
troublous memory,and said: ''But dimly, friend, as
if it bad passed in an ugly dream : mescemetb my
friendship witb tbee began wben 1 came to tbee from
out of tbe wood, and saw tbee standing witb those
three damsels; that tremember fullwell:ye were fair
to look on"^Rallblitbe wondered at bis words, but
said no more about it, and they went together to a
flowery nooknigbastreamofclearwaterwberestood
a silken tent, green like the grass which it stood on,&
flecked witb gold and goodly colours. ]Sigb it on tbe
grass lay tbe Sea/eagle's damsel, ruddy/cbeeked and
sweet/lipped, as fair as aforetime. She turned about
wben she heard men coming, andwhen she saw Rail-
blithe a smile cameintober face like tbe sun breaking
out on afair but cloudedmoming,& she went up to
bim and took him by tbe bands and kissed bis cheek,
and said: ''CQelcome, Spearman! welcome backKOe
have beard of tbee in many places, & have been sorry
that tbou wert not glad, and now are we fain of thy
returning. Shall not sweet life begin for tbee from
ben ceforward?"j!?H gain was Rallblitbe moved by
her kind welcome; but be shook bis head and spake:
''TTbou art kind, sister ;yetif tbou wouldst be kinder
thou wilt showme a way wherebylmay escape from
this land, for abiding here has become irksome to
me, and meseemeth that hope is yet alive without tbe
Glittering plain." Rer face fell as she answered:

b3 101

" Y^^' ^"^ ^^^^ ^^^^* ^"^ worse, if auabt be worse.
But come, let us eat and drink in this fair place, and
gather for tbee a littlejo>>ance before tbou departest,
if tbou needs must depart "j7 Re smiled on beras
one not ill/content, and laid bimself down on tbe
grass, wbile tbe twain busied tbemselves, & brougbt
fortbJPair cusbions and a gildedtable,& laid dainty
victual tbereon and good wine.

O tbey ate and drank togetber, and tbe Sea-
eagle and bis mate became very joyous again,
and Rallblitbe bestirred bimself not to be a
mar/feast; for be said witbin bimself: ''X am de-
parting, andaftertbistimelsball seetbem nomore;
and tbey are kind and blitbe witb me, and bave been
aforetime; X will not make tbeir merry bearts sore,
for wben X am gone X sball be remembered of tbem
but a little wbile."

I02

Chapter XTlXbose three go their ways to the edge
of the 6 li tterin g p lain ^ ^

O the eveningworemerrily;& they
made Rallblithe lie in an ingle or
the tent on a fair bed, and he was
|] weary,& slept thereon like a child.
But in the morning early they
waked him ; and while they were
breaking their fast they began to
speak to him of his departure, &

aekcd him if be bad an inkling of tbc way wbcrcby
be sbould get bim gone, and be eaid: '*tfX escape it
muet needs be by tbe way of tbemoun tains tbat wall
tbe land about till tbey come down totbe sea. for on
tbe sea is no sbip and no baven ; and well X wot tbat
no man of tbe land durst or can ferry me over to tbe
land of my hindred, or otberwbere witbout tbe Glit-
tering plain. tTell me therefore (and 1 ask no more
of you), is there anyrumourormemoryof away tbat
cleaveth yonder mighty wallof rock to other lands?"
j^Said the damsel: ''there is more than a memory
or a rumour: there is a road through the mountains
known to all men. for at whiles the earthly pilgrims
come into tbe Glittering plain thereby; and yet but
seldom, so many are tbe griefs and perils which be-
set the wayfarers on that road. Olbereof thou badst
far better bethink thee in time, and abide here and be
happy with us & others who long sore to make thee
happy "^*']Say,'' said Rallblithe, ''there is nought
todobut tell meof tbe way, andlwill depart at once,
blessing you "j^ Said the Sea/eagle: "jMore than
that at least will we do. jVIay 1 lose tbe bliss whereto
X have attain ed, if 1 go not with thee to tbe very edge
of tbe land of the Glittering plain. Shall it not be
80, sweetheart ?"j^"Yc^t at least we may do tbat,"
said the damsel; & she bung her bead as if she were
ashamed, and said: "Hnd that is all that thou wilt
get from us at most^j^Said Hallblitbe: "It is
enough,and Xaskednot somucb.'Xben the damsel
busied herself, and set meat and drink in two wallets,
and took one herself and gave the other to the Sea-
eagle, and said: "Qle will be thy porters, O Spear-
man, and will give thee a full wallet from tbe last
104

houec by the Desert of Oread, for when tbou bast
entered tberein, tboumayst well find victual bard to
come by: & now let us linger no more since tberoad
is dear to tbee/'

^^^O tbey set fortb on foot, for in tbat land
^^M^ men were slow to feel weariness ; and turning
^^^ about tbc bill of CQood/end, tbcy passed by
some broken country, and cameat even to a bouse at
tbe entrance of a long valley, witb bigb and steeply/
sloping sides, wbicb seemed, as it were, to cleave tbe
dale country wberein tbey bad fared aforetime. Ht
tbat bouse tbey slept well/guested by its folk, and
tbc next morning took tbeir way down tbe valley, &
tbe folk of tbe bouse stood at tbe door to watcb tbeir
departure ; for tbey bad told tbe wayfarers tbat tbey
bad fared but a little way tbitberward and knew of
no folk wbo bad used tbat road j^ So tbose tbree
fareddowntbevalleysoutbwardallday,evermount/
ing bigber as tbey went. tTbe way was pleasant and
easy, for tbey went over fair, smootb grassy lawns
betwixt tbe bill/sides, beside a clear rattling stream
tbat ran nortbward; at wbiles were clumps of tall
trees, oak for tbe most part, and at wbiles tbickets
of tborn and eglantine and otber sucb trees : so tbat
tbey could rest well sbadedwben tbey would j^TIbey
passed by no bouse of men, nor came to any sucb
in tbe even, but lay down to sleep in a tbicket of tborn
and eglantine, and rested well, and on tbe morrow
tbey rose up betimes and went on tbeir way sj^tlbis
second day as tbey wen t, tbe bill/sides on eitber ban d
grew lower, till at lasttbeydiedout into a wide plain,
beyond wbicb in tbe soutbern offing tbe mountains
rosebuge and bare.tlbis plain also was grassy and

105

beset with trees and thickets here and there. Hereon
they sawwUd deer enough^as hart andbuch,androe-
buckand8wine:withalalioncameoutofabrahehard
by them as they went,and stood gazing on them, so
that hallblithc looked to his weapons, and the Sea/
eagle tookupabigstonetolightwith,beingweapon/
less ; but the damsel laughed, and tripped on her way
lightly with girt/ up gown, and the beast gave no
more heed to them.

kj^^^HSY ^^^ smooth was their way over this
n^^9 pleasant wilderness, & clear to see, though
^^£g^ but little used, and before nightfall, after
they had gone a long way, they came to a house. It
was not large nor high, but was built very strongly
and fairly of good ashlar: its doorwasshut,andon
the jamb thereof hung a slug/horn. 'Cbz damsel,
who seemed to know what to do, set her mouth to
the horn, and blew a blast; and in a little while the
door was opened, and a big man clad in red scarlet
stood therein : he had no weapons, but was some-
what surly of aspect: he spake not, but stood abid-
ing the word: so the damsel took it up & said: ''Hrt
thou not the harden of the Qttermost House?"
jj^Re said:''! am"j^Said the damsel: '')Vlay we
guest here to/night?*'j^r)e said: 'Xhe house lieth
open to you with all that it hath of victual and plen-
ishing: take what ye will, and use what ye wiir'j^
IThey thanked him ; but he heeded not their thanks,
and withdrew him from them. So they entered and
found the table laid in a fair hall of stone carven &
painted very goodly; so they ate and drank therein,
and Hallblithe was of good heart, and the Sea/eagle
and his matewere merry, though they looked softly
106

and ebyly on HaUblitbc because of tbc sundering
anigb; and tbey saw no man in tbe bouse save tbe
man in scarlet, wbo went and came about bis busi-
ness, paying no beed to tbem. So wben tbc nigbt
was cieep tbey lay down in tbe sbut/bed off tbe ball,
and slept, & tbe bourswere tidingless to tbem until
tbey woke in tbe morning.

g^^Sj^JSf tbe morrow tbey arose & broke tbeir fast,
[is^lfl ^ tbereaf ter tbe damsel spake to tbe man
^^^^ in scarlet and said : '' JVIay we ftll our wallets
witb victual for tbe way ? '' J? Said tbe CKarden :
''Xlbere lietb tbe meat^'j^So tbeyfilled tbeirwallets,
wbile tbe man looked on ; and tbey came to tbe door
wben tbey were ready, and be unlocked it to tbem,
saying no word. But wben tbey turned tbeir faces
towards tbe mountains be spake at last, and stayed
tbem at tbe first step. Quotb be: ''CQbitber away?
Ye take tbe wrong road T'j^Said HaUblitbe: ''JSfay,
forwe go toward tbe mountains and tbe edgeof tbe
6litteringplain"j^ * Y^ sball do ill to go tbitber,"
said tbe ularden, **and X bid you forbear ''j^^'O
harden of tbe Qttermost House, wberef ore sbould
we forbear?" said tbe Sea/cagle^Said tbe scarlet
man: ''Because my cbarge is to furtber tbose wbo
would go inward to tbe King,and to stay tbose wbo
would go outward from tbe King"j^ '' Row tben if
we go outward despite tby bidding?" said tbe Sea/
eagle, ''wilt tbou tben binder us perforce ?''j^" How
may X," said tbe man, "since tby fellow batb wea-
pons ?"j!^" Go we fortb, tben," said tbe Sea/eaglejj^
" Y^a," said tbe damsel, " we will go fortb.Hnd know,
O (Harden, tbat tbis weaponed manonlyisof mind
to fare over tbe edge of tbe 6 littering plain ; but we

107

twain shall come back bitbcr again, & fare inwards"
jpSaid tbe (Harden: ''J^ougbt is it to me wbat ye
will do wben ye are past tbis bouse. ]Vor sball any
man wbo goetb outof tbis gartb toward tbc moun-
tains ever come bach inwards save be cometb in tbe
company of newcomers to tbe Glittering plain "j^
** dbo sball binder bim ? *' said tbe Sea/eagle. '' Xlbc
Kt]S(3/* said tbe ^arden^tlben tbere was silence
awbile, and tbe man said : '* JVowdo as ye will/' Hnd
tberewitb be turned back into tbe bouse & sbut tbc
door,

^^^GT tbe Sea/eagle & tbe damsel stood gazing
)X^^ on one anotber, and at Rallblitbe; and tbe
^^^ damsel was downcast and pale; but tbe Sea/
eagle cried out: ''forward now, O Rallblitbe, since
tbou wiliest it, and we will go witb tbee and sbarc
whatever may befall tbee; yea, right up to tbe very
edge of tbe Glittering plain. Hnd tbou, O beloved,
wby dost tbou delay? CQby dost tbou stand as if
tby fair feet were grown to tbe grass ?"
l^^^QH tbe damsel gave a lamentable cry, & cast
H^^ berself down on tbe ground, & knelt before
^^Sl tbe Sea/eagle, and took bim by tbe knees, and
said betwixt sobbing and weeping : '* O my lord and
love, X pray tbee to forbear, and tbe Spearman, our
friend, sball pardon us. for if tbou goest, X sball
never see tbee more, since my beart will not serve me
to go witb tbee. O forbear I X pray tbeeT'ji^Hnd sbe
grovelled on tbe eartb before bim ; and tbe Sea/eagle
waxed red, and would bave spoken; but Rallblitbe
cut bis speech across, and said : *' friends, be at
peace t for tbis is tbe minute tbat sunders us. Get ye
back at once to tbe beart of tbe Glittering plain, and
io8

live there and be bappy ; and take my blessing and
thanks for the love and help that ye have given me.
for your going forward with me should destroy
you and profit me nothing. It would be but as the
host bringing his guests onefield beyond his garth,
when their goal is the ends of the earth; and if there
were a lion in the path, why should he perish for
courtesy's sahe?'*^Xrherewith he stooped down to
the damsel, and lifted her up & kissed her face; and
he cast his arms about the Sea/eagle & said to him :
''farewell, shipmate! ''j^TIhen the damsel gave him
the wallet of victual, and bade him farewell, weeping
sorely ; and he looked kindly on them for a moment
of time, & then turned away from them and fared on
toward the mountains, striding with great strides,
holding his head aloft. But they looked no more on
him, having no will to eke their sorrow, but went
their ways back again without delay.

109

must needs sit down on astoneby tbewayside,won-
dering what ailed bim j? XTben be looked up at tbc
mountains, wbicb now seemed quite near to bim at
tbe plain's ending,&bisweahncss increased on bim;
and lo t as be looked, it was to bim as if tbe crags rose
up in tbe shy to meet bim and overbang bim, and as
>if tbe eartb beaved up beneatb bim, and tberewitb be
fell aback & lost all sense, so tbat be knew not wbat
)was become of tbe eartb and tbe beavens & tbe pas-
sing of tbe minutes of bis life.

=^r)B]V be came to bimself be knew not
> wbetber be bad lain so a great wbile
j or a little; be felt feeble, and for a
^ wbile be lay scarce moving, and be-
bolding nougbt, not even tbc sky a-
bove bim. presently be turned about
and saw bard stone on eitber side, so be rose wearily
.and stood upon bis feet, and knew tbat be was faint
fwitb bungerand tbirst.tTben be looked around bim,
and saw tbat be was in a narrow valley or clef t of tbc
mountains amidst wan rocks, bare and waterless,
wbere grew no blade of green ; but be could see no
furtber tban tbe sides of tbat cleft, and belonged to
be out of it tbat be migbt see wbitberward to turn.
"Cben be betbougbt bim of bis wallet, and set bis
band to it and opened it, tbinking to get victual
tbcnce; but lot it was all spoilt and wasted. JVone
tbe less, for all bis feebleness, be turned and went
toiling slowly along wbat seemed to be a patb little
trodden leading upward out of tbe cleft; and at last
be reacbed tbe crest tbereof , and sat bim down on a
rock on tbe otber side; yet durst not raise bis eyes
awbile and look on tbc land, lest be sbould seedeatb

111

manifest tbcrcin. Ht last be looked, and saw that be
was bigb up amongst tbe mountain/peaks: before
bim and on eitber band was but a world of fallow
stone rising ridge upon ridge like tbe waves of tbe
wildest of tbe winter sea. TTbe sun not far from its
midmost sbone down brigbt & bot on tbat wilder-
ness ; yet was tbere no sign tbat any man bad ever
been tberesince tbe beginning of tbe world, save tbat
tbe patb aforesaid seemed to lead onward down tbe
stony slope.

^g^^pXS way & tbat way and all about be gazed,
w|^^ straining bis eyes if percbance be migbt see
^i^8^ any diversity in tbe stony waste; and at last
betwixt two peaks of tbe rock/wall on bis left band
be descried a streak of green mingling witb tbe cold
blue of tbe distance; & be tbougbt in bis beart tbat
tbis was tbe last be sbould sec of tbe Glittering
plain, tiben be spake aloud in tbat desert, and said,
tbougb tbere was none to bear: ''JS[ow is my last
bour come; and bere is HaUblitbe of tbe Raven per-
isbing, witb bis deeds undone and bis longing un-
fulfilled, & bis bridal/bed a/cold for ever. Long may
tbe Rouse of tbe Raven abide & flourisb, witb many
a man and maiden, valiant and fruitful! O kindred,
cast tby blessing on tbis man about to die bere,
doing none otberwise tban ye would bave bim t "

C sat tbere a little wbile longer, and tben be
said to bimself :''Deatb tarries; were it not
well tbat 1 go to meet bim, even as tbe cot-
carle preventetb tbe migbty cbieftain?" TIben be
arose,and went painfully down tbe slope, steadying
bimself witb tbe sbaftof bis gleaming spear; but
all at once be stopped; for it seemed to bim tbat be

112

beard voices borne on tbc wind tbat blew up tbe
mountain/side. But be sbook bis bead and said:
'']Nfow forsootb beginnetb tbe dream wbicb sball
last for ever; nowise am 1 beguiled by it/' f^one tbe
less be strove tbe more eagerly witb tbe wind, & tbe
way, and bis feebleness; yet did tbe weakness wax
on bim,so tbat itwas but a little wbile ere befaltered
and reeled and fell down once more in a swoon.

^RBJV be came to bimself again be was no
longer alone: a man was kneeling down by
3 bim and boldingup bis bead,wbileanotber
before bim, as be opened bis eyes, put a cup of wine
to bis lips. So Rallblitbe drank and was refresbed;
and presently tbey gave bim bread, and be ate, & bis
beart was strengtbened, and tbe bappiness of life
returned to it, and be lay back, and slept sweetly for
a season.

HG)^ be awoke from tbat slumber be
found tbat be bad gotten back mucb
of bis strengtb again, and be sat up
and looked around bim, & saw tbree
men sitting anigb, armed & girtwitb
swords, yet in evil array, and sore
travel/wom. One of tbese was very old, witb long
Iwbite bair banging down ; and anotber, tbougb be
was not so mucb stricken in years, still looked an
old man of over sixty winters. Xihc tbird was a man
some forty years old, but sad and sorry & drooping
of aspect j^So wben tbey saw bim stirring, tbey all
fixed tbeir eyes upon bim, and tbe oldest man said:
*' Welcome to bim wbo erst bad no tidings for us t "
Hnd tbe second said: ''XTell us now tby tidings."
But tbe tbird, tbe sorry man, cried out aloud, say-
i 113

ing: *' Cdbcrc is the land? CQbcrc is tbc land?" Said
Hallblitbc: *']VIc8ecnictb tbc landwbicbyc ecchistbc
land wbicb 1 seek to flee from. Hnd now Twill not
bide tbat meeeemetb 1 bave seen you before, & tbat
was at Cleveland by tbe Seawben tbe days were bap/
pier''j(^Xrben tbey all tbree bowed tbeir beads in
yea/say, and spake: ''SIbere is tbe land? ^bere is
tbe land ? '' tiben Rallblitbe arose to bis feet, & said :
'* Y^ ^^^^ bealed me of tbe sickness of deatb, and X
will do wbat X may to bcal you of your sickness of
sorrow. Come up tbe pass witb me, and X will sbow
you tbe land afar off "j^TTben tbey arose like young
and brisk men, and be led tbem over tbe brow of tbe
ridge into tbe little valley wberein be bad first come
to bimself : tbere be sbowed tbem tbat glimpse of a
green land betwixt tbe two peaks, wbicb be bad bebeld
e'en now; and tbey stood a wbile looking at it and
weeping for joy^TIben spaketbeoldestof tbe seek/
ers: *'Sbow us tbe way to tbe land"j^*')Vay," said
Hallblitbe, '*X may not; for wben X would depart
tbence, X migbt not go by mine own will, but was
borne out bitber, X wot not bow. for wben X came to
tbe edge of tbe land against tbe will of tbe King, be
smote me, and tben cast me out. ^berefore since X
may not bclp you, find ye tbe land for yourselves, &
let me go blessing you, and come out of tbis desert
by tbeway wbereby ye entered it. f or X bave an errand
in tbe world."

pHKB tbe youngest of tbe seekers: '']Vow
art tbou become tbeyoke/fellow of Sorrow, &
tbou must wend, not wbitber tbou wouldst,
butwbitber sbe will: & sbe would bave tbee go for-
ward toward life, not backward toward deatb."
n4

^^^gjHlD tbc midmost seeker: ''If we let tbee go
^^^ further in to the wilderness tbou sbalt surely
^^^die: for bence to tbe peopled parts, and tbe
City of )VIercbants, wbence we come, is a month's
journey : & there is neither meat nor drink, nor beast
nor bird, nor any green thing all that way; and since
we have found thee famishing, we may well deem that
thou bast no victual. Hs to us we have but little ; so
that if it be much more than three days' journey to
tbe Glittering plain, we may well starve and die
within sight of tbe Here of tbe Qndying. J^evertbe-
less that little will we share with thee if thou wilt help
us to find that good land; so that thou mayst yet
put away Sorrow, and take 7oy again to thy board
and bed."

HLLBLl^RS bung bis head and answered
nought; for he was confused by the meshes
lilof ill/bap, and his soul grew sick with the
bitterness of death. But tbe sad man spake again
and said: ''IThou bast an errand sayest thou ? is it
such as a dead man may do?" j!? nallblitbe pon-
dered, and amidst the anguish of bis despair was
borne in on him a vision of the sea/waves lapping
tbe side of a black ship, and a man therein : who but
himself, set free to do bis errand, and his heart was
quickenedwithinbim,&hesaid:''Xtbankyou,andX
will wend back with you sin ce there is n o road for me
save back again into tbe trap"j^ 'Cbc three seekers
seemedglad thereat, &thesecondonesaid:''trhough
deathispursuing,andlifeliethahead,yetwillwenot
hasten thee unduly. tTime was when t was Captain
of the nost,& learned bow battles were lost by lack
of rest. Tlberef ore have thy sleep now, that tbou
i2 n5

inaystvvaxin strength forourbclping*'j!^Said Hall/
blithe: '*! need not rest; X may not rest; X will not
rest "j^ Said the sad man : '*Xt is lawful for thee to
rest. So say X, who was on ce a master of law "j^Said
the long/hoary elder:'' HndX command thee to rest;
X who was once the king of a mighty folk/'
^^g]S sooth Rallblithe was now exceeding weary;
31^ so he laid him down and slept sweetly in the
^^1 stony wilderness amidst those three seekers,
the old, the sad, and the very old.

RB]S he awoke he felt well and strong
again , and he leapt to his feet & looked
about him, and saw the three seekers
stirring, and hedeemed by thesun that
3 it was early morning. 'Cbc sad man
brou ght for th bread an d water & win e,
and they broke theirfast;andwhen they haddonehe
spake & said : ''Hbidethnow in wallet and bottle but
one more full meal for us,& then no more save a few
crumbs and a drop or two of wine if we husband it
weir'jj^Said the second elder: ''Get we to the road,
then, and make haste. X have been seeking, and me-
secmeth, though the way be long, it is now utterly
blind for us. Or look thou, Raven/son, is there not
a path yonder that leadeth onward up to the brow of
the ghyll again ?& as X have seen, it leadeth on again
down from the said brow.''

ORSOOrn there was a track that led

through the stony tangle of the wilderness;

so they took to the road with a good heart,

and went all day, and saw no living thing, and not a

blade of grass or a trickle of water: nought save the

wan rocks under the sun ; and though they trusted

n6

in tbcir road that it led tbcm aright, they saw no
other glim pec of the 6 littering plain, because there
rose a great ridge like a wall on the north side, and
they wentasitwercdown along a trench of therocks,
albeit it was whiles broken across by ghylls, and
knolls, and reefs.

O at sunset they rested and ate their victual,
for they were very weary ; and thereafter they
lay down, & slept as soundly as if they were
in the best of the halls of men. On the morrow be-
times they arose soberly and went their ways with
few words, and, as they deemed, the path still led
them onward. Hnd now the great ridge on the north
rose steepcrand steeper, and their crossingit seemed
notto be thoughtof; but their half/blind trackfailed
them not.TThey rested at even, and ate <Si drank what
little they had left, save a mouthful or two of wine,
and then went on again by the light of the moon,
which was so bright that they still saw their way.
HndithappenedtoRallblithe,asmostlyitdoeswith
men very travel/wom, that he went on and on scarce
remembering where he was, or who his fellows were,
or that he had any fellows j^So at midnight they lay
down in the wilderness again, hungry and weary.
Hhey rose at dawn and went forward with waning
hope: for now the mountain ridge on the north was
close to their path, rising up alon g it, a sheer wall of
pale stone over which nothing might go save the
fowl flying; so that at first on that morning they
looked for nought save to lay their bones in that
grievous desertwherenomanshouldfind them. But,
as beset with famine, they fared on heavily down
the narrow track, there came a hoarse cry from Hall-
i3 117

bUtbc*9 dry throat and it was as if bis cry bad been
answered byanotber liketobis; &tbe seekers turned
and bebeld bim pointing totbe cliflP/side,&lot balf/
way up tbe pale sun/litten crag stood two ravens in
a cranny of tbe stone, flapping tbeir wings & croak/
ing, witb tbru sting f ortb & twisting of tbeir beads ;
and presently tbey came floating on tbetbin pureair
bigb up over tbe beads of tbe wayfarers, croaking for
tbe pleasure of tbe meeting, as tbougb tbey laugbed
tbereat

\T)Sf^ rose tbe beart of Rallblitbe, & be smote
bis palms together, & fell to singing an old
songof bis people, amidst tberocks whereas
few men had sung aforetime.

nGJVCB are ye and whither,
O fowl of our fathers ?
a Cdbat field have ye looked on,
what acres unshorn ?
^hat land have ye left
where tbe battle/folk gathers,
•Hnd the war/helms are white
)0'er the paths of the corn ?

RHtr tale do ye bear
of the people un craven,
^bere amidst the long hall-

i^sbadow sparkle tbe spears ;

adhere aloft on the hall/ridge

now fiappeth the raven,

, Hnd singeth tbe song

of the nourishing years ?

jHSRB gather tbc lads
in tbc first of tbc morning,
CQbilc wbitc lies tbc battle-
day's dew on tbc grass,
Hnd tbc kind steeds trot up
to tbc bom's voice of warning,
Hnd tbc winds wake and wbinc
[in tbc dusk of tbc pass.

^^ f OCaL of our f atbers,

|R:|W wby now are ye resting ?
^^^-i Come over tbc mountains

and look on tbc foe.

full fair after figbt won

sball yet be your nesting;

Hnd your fledglings

tbc sons of tbc kindred sball know.

ITbcrcwitb be strode witb bis bead upraised, and
above bim flew tbc ravens, croaking as if tbcy an-
swercdbis song in friendly f asbion.

^^TT was but a little after tbis tbat tbc patb
turned aside sbarp toward tbc cliffs, and
tbc seekers were abasbed tbcreof, till Rall-
blitbc running forward bcbcld a great ca-
vern in tbc face of tbc cliff at tbc patb's
ending: so be turned and cried on bis fel-
lows, and tbcy hastened up, and presently stood
before tbat cavern's moutb witb doubt & joy min-
gled in tbc minds; for now, maybappen, tbcy bad
reached the gate of the Glittering plain, or may-
happen the gate of death j^XIbc sad man hung his
bead and spake: ''Doth not some new trap abide

H "9

U9 ? dbat do wc bcrc ? is this aught save death?**
Spake the Blder of Blders: ''CCfas not death on
cither band e'en now, even as treason besetteth the
king upon bis throne ?"j(^Hnd tbe second said:
**YcatWewere as tbe bostwbich hath no road save
through tbe multitude of foemen ** j^ But Hall-
blithe laughed <& said : ''^by do ye bang back,tben ?
He f or me,if death be here, soon is mine errand sped "
j^r^bcrcwith he led tbe way in to the dark of the cave,
and theravens bungabout tbe crag over/bead croak-
ing, as the men left the light. So was their way swal-
lowed up in tbe cavern, and day and its time became
nought to them; they went on and on, and became
exceeding faint and weary, but rested not, for death
was behind them. CHbiles they deemed they heard
waters running, & whiles the singing of fowl ; and
toRallblitbe it seemed that he beard bis name called,
so that be shouted back in answer; but all was still
when tbe sound of his voice bad died out,

XT last, when they were pressing on again

,^ ^ after a short while of resting, nallblitbc

^(3lP cried out that the cave was lightening: so

they hastened onward, and the light grew till they
cou Id sec each o tber,& ciim ly they beheld tbe cave that
it was both wide and bigh.Y^t a little furtber,& their
faces showed white to one another, & they could see
tbe crannies of the rocks, and tbe bats banging gar-
landed from tbe roof. So then they came to where the
day streamed down bright on them from a break over/
bead, an d lo 1 1 be s ky & green leaves wavin g again st it.
^^^O those way /worn men it seemed bard to clam/
HP^ ber out that way, & especially to tbe Blders :
i^^^ so they went on a little further to see if there
120

wcrcaugbtbcttcrabidingtbcm,butwbcntbcy found
tbc dayligbt failing tbcm again, tbcy turned back to
tbc place of tbe break in tbe roof, lest tbey sbould
waste tbeir strengtb and perisb in tbe bowels of tbc
mountain. So witb mucb ado tbey bove up Rall-
blitbe till be got bim first on to a ledge of tbe rocky
wall, and so, wbat by strengtb, wbat by cunning,
into tbe dayligbt tbrougb tbe rent in tbe roof. So
wben be was witbout be made a rope of bis girdle &
strips from bis raimen t, for be was ever a deft crafts-
man, and made a sbif t to beave up tberewitb tbesad
man, wbo was ligbt and litbe of body: and tben tbe
two togetber dealt witb tbe Blders one afteranotber,
till tbey were all four on tbe face of tbe eartb again
j0TLhc place wbcreto tbey bad gotten was tbe side
of a buge mountain, stony and steep, but set about
witb busbes, wbicb seemed full fair to tbose wan-
derers amongst tbe rockej^'Cbxs mountain/slope
went down towards a fair green plain, wbicb Rall-
blitbe made no doubt was tbc outlying waste of tbe
Glittering plain : nay, be deemed tbat be could see
afar off tbereon tbe wbite walls of tbe Qttermost
House. So mucb be told tbe seekers in few words;
and tben wbile tbcy grovelled on tbe eartb and wept
for pure joy, wbereas tbe sun was down and it was
beginning to growdusk,bewentand looked around
soberly to see if be migbt find water and any kind of
victual; and presently a little down tbe billside be
came upon a place wbere a spring came gusbing up
out of tbeeartband ran down toward tbe plain ; and
about it was green grass growing plentifully, and
a little tbicket of bramble and wilding fruit/trees.
So be drank of tbe water, & plucked bim a few wild-

121

ing apples somewhat better than crabs, & then went
u p the bill again & fetched the seekers to that moun-
tain hostelry ; and while they drank of the stream he
plucked them apples & bramble/berries, for indeed
they were as men out of their wits, and were dazed
by the extremity of their joy, and as men long shut
up in prison, to whom the world of men/folk hath
become strange. Simple as the victual was, they were
somewhat strengthened by it and by the plentiful
water, and as night was now upon them, it was of
no avail for them to go further : so they slept beneath
the boughs of the thorn/bushes.

122

I clcarmoming light that it was iTii
i deed tbc Uttermost House which
he had seen across the green waste.

So he told the ecckcre; but tbcywcrc silent & heeded
nought, because of a fear that had come upon them,
lest they should die before they came into that good
land. Ht the foot of the mountain they came upon a
river, deep but not wide, with low grassy banks, and
Rallblithe, who was an exceeding strong swimmer,
helped the seekersoverwithout muchado; and there
they stood upon the grass of that goodly waste.
Hallblithe looked on them to note if any change
should come over them, and he deemed that already
they were become stronger and of more avail. But
he spake nought thereof, and strode on toward the
Qttermost Rouse, even as that other day he had
stridden away from it. Such diligence they made,
that it was but little after noon when they came to
the door thereof .rihen Rallblithe took the horn and
blew upon it, while his fellows stood bymurmuring,
**ltis theLandfXtis the Land!"

RO came the (Harden to the door, clad in red
jj scarlet, & the elderwcnt up to him and said :
^as this the Land?"j^'^<nhat land?" said
thc^arden^**Xs it the Glittering plain ?" said the
second of the seekersj^^'Y^^* forsooth,*' said the
CQardcn. Said the sad man : *'^ill ye lead us to the
King?*'j^'*Y^9hallcometo the King,'' said thenar/
dcr\J^'*Ulbm, oh when ?" cried they out all tbrccjp
'Xhemorrowof to/morrow,maybe," said theOIar-
denj(?'' Oh t if to/morrow were but comet" they cried
jj^'*Xt will come," said the red man; ''enter ye the
house, and eat and drink and rest you." So they en-
tered, and the CQarden heeded Hallblithe nothing.
Xlhcy ate and drank and then went to their rest, and
Rallblithc lay in a shut/bed off from the hall, but the
124

harden brought tbc seekers otherwhere, so that
Rallblithe saw them not after he had gone to bed;
but as for him he slept and forgot that aught was.
|]V the morning when he awoke he felt very
strong andwell/lihing;& he beheld his limbs
that they were clear of skin and sleek and fair ;
and he heard one hard by in the hall carolling and
singing joyously. So he sprang from his bed with
thewonderof sleep yet in him, and drew the curtains
of the shut/bed and looked forth into the hall; and
lo f on the high/seat a man of thirty winters by seem/
ing, tall, fair of fashion, with golden hair and eyes
as grey as glass, proud and noble of aspect; and
anigh him sat another man of like age to look on, a
man strong & burly, with short curling brown hair
and a red beard, and ruddy countenance, & the mien
of a warrior. Hlso, up & down the hall, paced a man
younger of aspect than these two, tall and slender,
black/haired & dark/eyed, amorous of countenance;
he it was who was singing a snatch of song as he
went lightly on the hall pavement; a snatch like to
this :

^HIR is the world, now autumn's wearing,
Hnd the sluggard sun lies long abed;
Sweet are the days, now winter's nearing,
Hnd all winds feign that the wind is dead.

Dumb is the hedge where the crabs hang yellow.
Bright as the blossoms of the spring;
Dumb is the close where the pears grow mellow,
Hnd none but the dauntless redbreasts sing.

fair was the spring, but amidst his greening
Grey were the days of the hidden sun ;

1^5

fair was the summer, but overweening,
^-^^ So soon bis o'er/sweet days were done.

Come tben, love, for peace is upon us,
far off is failing, and far is fear,
here wbere tbe rest in tbe end batb won us,
,ln tbe garnering tide of tbe bappy year.

Come from tbe grey old bouse by tbe water,

^bere, far from tbe lips of tbe bungry sea,

Green growetb tbe grass o'er tbe field of tbe

slaugbtcr,

Hnd all is a talc for tbec and me.

\0 Hallblitbc did on bis raiment & went into

tbe ball; and wben tbose tbrce saw bim tbey

smiled upon bim hindly and greeted bim ;

land tbe noble man at tbe board said: ''t banks bave

)tbou, O (Harrior of tbe Raven, for tby belp in our

need: tby reward from us sballnot be lacking''j^

fCbtn tbe brown/baired man came up to bim, & clap/

ped bim on tbe back and said to bim: ''Brisk man

of tbe Raven, good is tby belp at need ; even so sball

beminetotbee bcnceforward"jj^But tbe young man

stepped up to bim ligbtly, and cast bis arms about

bim, and kissed bim, and said: ''O friend & fellow,

wbo knowetb but I may one day belp tbec as tbou

bast bolpen me? tbougb tbou art one wbo by seem-

|ing mayst well belp tbyself . Hnd now mayst tbou

be as merry as X am to/dayT'j^riben tbey all tbree

cried out joyously: ''ItistbeLandtltistbeLandt"

jj^So Rallblitbe knew tbat tbese men were tbe two

elders and tbe sad man of yesterday, and tbat tbey

bad ren cwed tbeir y ou tb.

126

s^^AJOYOClSLYtiow did those men break tbeir
^^[p fast: nor did Rallblitbemakeany grim coun-
'^^f(^ tenance, for be tbougbt: '*^bat wbicb tbese
dotards and drivellers bave been migbty enougb to
find, sball 1 not be migbty enougb to flee from?"
Breakfast done,tbeseekersmade little delay^soeager
astbey were to bebold tbe King, and to bave bandsel
of tbeir new sweet life.Sotbey got tbem ready to de-
part, and tbe once/captain said: **Hrt tbou able to
lead us to tbe King, O Raven/son, or must we seek
anotber man to do so mucb for us ? " Said Rallblitbe :
''1 am able to lead you so nigb unto dood/end
(wbere, as 1 deem, tbe King abidetb) tbat ye sball
not miss bim/' T^berewitb tbey went to tbe door, &
tbe harden unlocked to tbem, andspake no word to
tbem wben tbey departed, tbougb tbey tbanked bim
kindly for tbe guesting.

IRBJV tbey were witbout tbe gartb, tbe
young man fell to running about tbe mea-
M> dow plucking great bandfuls of tbe ricb
flowers tbat grew about, singing and carolling tbe
wbile. But be wbo bad been king looked up & down
and round about, and said at last: ''SIbere be tbe
borses and tbe men?*' But bis fellow witb tbe red
beard said: '*Raven/son, in tbis land wben tbey
journey, wbat do tbey as to riding or going afoot?"
Said Hallblitbe: '*f air fellows, ye sball wot tbat in
tbis land folk go afoot for tbe most part, botb men
and women ;wbcreas tbey weary but little, and are in
no baste "j^IIben tbeonce/captain clapped tbe once/
king on tbe sboulder, and said: '* Hearken, lord, and
delay no longer, but gird up tby gown, since bere is
no mare's son to belp tbce: for fair is to /day tbat

127

lies before us, with many a fair new day beyond it."
jORallblitbeled tbcway inward, thinking of

many things, yet but little of his fellows.

Hlbeit they, and theyounger man especially,
were of many words ; for this black/haired man had
many questions to ash, chiefly concerning the wo-
men, whatthey were like to loohon,andofwbatmood
they were. Rallblithe answered thereto as long as he
might, but at last he laughed and said : *' friend, for-
bear thy questions now ; for meseemeth in a few
hours thou shalt be as wise hereon as is the God of
Love himself.''

Kj^^^lO they made diligence along the road, and all
^^^ was tidingless till on the second day at even
^^^ they came to the first house off the waste.
Tlhere had they good welcome, and slept. But on the
morrow when they arose, nallblithe spake to the
Seekers, and said: ''J^oware things much changed
betwixt us since the time when we first met : for then
1 had all my desire, as 1 thought, andye had but one
desire, and well/nigh lacked hope of its fulfilment.
C3hereas now the lack hath left you and come tome,
therefore even as time agone ye might not abide
even one night at the Rouse of the Raven, so hard
as your desire lay on you, even so it fareth with me
to/day, that X am consumed with my desire, and 1
may not abide with you ; lest that befall which be-
falleth betwixt the full man and the fas ting, ^here-
f ore now X bless you and depart."
^^^RSY abounded in words of good /will to
K^l him, & the once/king said : ''Hbide with us,
l^^^ and we shall see to it that thou have all the
dignities that a man may thinkof "jl^Hnd the once-
128

captain said: ''Lo,bcrc is mine band that bath been
migbty ; never sbalt tbou lack it for tbe accompUsb-
ment of tbine uttermost desire. Hbide witb us "jj^
Lastly said tbe young man : **Hbide witb us, Son of
tbe Raven! Set tbine beart on a fair woman,yea even
I were it tbe fairest ; & 1 will get ber for tbee, even were
my desire set on ber"j^ But be smiled on tbem,and
sbook bis bead, and said: '*Hll bail to you I but mine
errand is yet undone/' Hnd tberewitb be departed.
S skirted ^ood/end and came not to
it, but got bim down to tbe side of tbe
sea, not far from wbere be first came a-
land, bu t somewbat soutb of it. H fair
oak/wood came down close to tbe beacb
of tbe sea; it was some four miles end-
long & over/tbwart.tlbitberRallblitbe betook bim,
and in a day or two got bim wood/wrigbfs tools
rfrom a bouse of men a little outside tbe wood, tbree
miles from tbe sea/sbore. T^ben be set to work and
built bim a little frame/bouse on a lawn of tbe wood
beside a clear stream ; for be was a very deft wood-
wrigbt. Cditbal be made bim a bow and arrows, and
sbot wbat be would of tbe fowl and tbe deer for bis
livelibood; & folk from tbat bouse and otberwbence
came to see bim, and brought bim bread & wine and
spicery and other matters which he needed. Hnd tbe
days wore, & men got used to him, and loved bim as
if be had been a rare image which had been brought
totbatlandforitsadornment;<Sinowtbeynolonger
called bim the Spearman, but the ^ood/lover. Hnd
as for him, he took all in patience, abiding what the
lapse of days should bring forth.

129

Chapter XIX. nallbUtbc builds him a skiff^^

if CeR nallblithc had been hous-
ed a little while,& the time was a-
gain drawing nigh to the twelfth
moon since he had come to the
Glittering plain, he went in the
wood one day ; and, pondering
many things without faxing on
any one, he stood before a very

great oah/trcc and looked at the tall straight bole
thereof, and there came into his head the words of
an old song which was written round a scroll of the
carving over the shut/ bed, wherein he was wont to
lie when he was at home in the Rouse of the Raven :
and thus it said:

H)VI the oak/tree, and forsooth
JVIen deal by me with little ruth;
)VIy boughs they shred, my life they slay,
Hnd speed me o'er the watery way.

j^Re looked up in to that leafy world for a little and
then turned back toward his house; but all day long,
whether he were at work or at rest, that posy ran in
his head, and he kept on saying it over, aloud or not
aloud, till the day was done and he went to sleep.
|RB]S in his sleep he dreamed that an exceed-
ing fair woman stood by his bedside,and at
I first she seemed to him to be an image of the
Rostage. But presently her face changed, and her
body and her raiment; and, lot it was the lovely wo-
man, the King's daughter whom he had seen wast-
ing her heart for the love of him. Xlhen even in his
dream shame thereof overtook him, and because of
that shame he awoke,and lay awake a little, hearken-
ing the wind going through the woodland boughs,
and the singing of the owl who had her dwelling in
the hoUowoak nigh to his house. Slumber overcame
him in a little while, <& again the image of the King's
daughter came to him in his dream, and again when
he looked upon her, shame and pity rose so hotly in
his heart that he awoke weeping,&lay awhile heark-
ening to the noises of the night, ^he third time he

k2 131

elcpt and dreamed; and once more that image came
to bim. Hnd now be loohed^and saw tbat sbe bad in
ber band a book covered outside witb gold & gems,
even as be saw it in tbe orcbard/close aforetime: and
be bebeld ber face tbat it was no longer tbe face of
one sick witb sorrow; but glad and clear, and most
beauteous.

pCd sbe opened tbe book and beld it before
Hallblitbe and turned tbe leaves so tbat be
migbt see tbem clearly ; & tberein were woods
and castles painted, & burning mountains, and tbe
wall of tbe world, and kingsupontbeirtbrones, and
fair women and warriors, all most lovely to bebold,
even as be bad seen it aforetime in tbe orcbard wben
be lay lurking amidst tbe leaves of tbe bay/ tree.

\0 at last sbe came to tbe place in tbe book
wberein was painted HaUblitbe's own image
1 over against tbe image of tbe Hostage ; and
be looked tbereon & longed. But sbe turned tbe leaf,
and, lot on one side tbe Hostage again, standing in
a fair garden of tbe spring witb tbe lilies all about
ber feet, and bebind ber tbe walls of a bouse, cfrey,
ancient, & lovely : and on tbe otber leaf over against
ber was painted a sea rippled by a little wind and a
boat tbereon sailing swiftly, and one man alone in
tbe boat sitting^ steering witb a cbeerf ul counten-
ance; and be,wbo but Rallblitbe bimself. nallblitbe
looked tbereon for a wbile & tben tbe King's daugb-
ter sbut tbe book, and tbe dream flowed into otber
imaginings of no import.

^]S tbe grey dawn Rallblitbe awoke, & called to
mind bis dream, & be leapt from bis bed and
wasbedtbe nigbt from off bim in tbe stream,

and clad himself and went the shortest way through
the wood to that Rouse of folh aforesaid: and as he
went his face was bright & he sang the second part
of the carven posy ; to wit:

LOJ^G the grass 1 lie forlorn
Tlhat when a while of time is worn,
I may be filled with war and peace
Hnd bridge the sundering of the seas.

Re came out of the wood and hastened over the
flowery meads of the Glittering plain, and came to
that same house when it was yet very early. Ht the
door he came across a damsel bearing water from
the well, and she spake to him and said: ''Odelcome,
^ood/ lover! Seldom art thou seen in our garth; &
that is a pity of thee. Hnd now X look on thy face X
see that gladness hath come into thine heart, and
that thou art most fair and lovely. Rere then is a
token for thee of the increase of gladness.'' there-
with she set her buckets on the earth, and stood be-
fore him, and took him by the cars, and drew down
his face to hers and kissed him sweetly. Re smiled
on her & said: ''X thank thee, sister, for the kiss and
the greeting; butXcome here having a lack''j^'*tlell
us,"she said,*' that we may do thee a pleasure "j7 Re
said: **X would ask the folk to give me timber, both
beams and battens and boards; for if X hew in the
wood it will take long to season "^**Hll this is free
for thee to take from our wood/store when thou hast
broken thy fast with us," said the damsel. **Come
thou in and rest thee."

k3 133

jRe tooh bim by tbc band and tbcy went in
togctbcr,and ebc gave bim to eatanddrink,

1 and wentup anddown tbe bouse, saying to

every one : '' Rere is come tbe CCIood/lover,and be is
glad again ; come & see bim ''jl^So tbe folk gatbered
about bim, and made mucb of bim. Hnd wben tbey
bad made an end of breakfast, tbe bead man of tbe
Rouse said to bim : *' tibe beasts are in tbe wain, and
tbe timber abidetb tby cboosing; come and see/' So
be brougbt Rallblitbe to tbe timber/bower, wbere be
cbose for bimself all tbat be needed of oak/timberof
tbe best; and tbey loaded tbe wain tberewitb, &gave
bim wbat be would moreover of nails and tree/nails
and otber matters; and be tbanked tbem; and tbey
said to bim: '*^bitber nowsball we lead tby tim-
ber?"^**Down totbesea/sidc^'quotbbe, ^'nigbest
to my dwelling "jj^So did tbey, & more tban ascore,
men and women, went witb bim, some in tbe wain,
and some afoot, tlbus tbey came down to tbe sea^
sbore, and laid tbe timber on tbe strand just above
bigb/water mark ; and straigbtway Rallblitbe fell to
work sbaping bim a boat, for well be knew tbewbole
craft tbereof ; and tbe folk looked on wondering, till
tbe tide bad ebbed tbe little it was wont to ebb, and
left tbe moist sand firm and smootb; tben tbe wo-
men left watcbing Rallblitbe's work, & fell to pad-
dling barefoot in tbe clear water, for tbere was scarce
a ripple on tbe sea; and tbe carles came and played
witb tbem so tbat Rallblitbe was left alone a wbile;
for tbis kindof play was new to tbat folk, since tbey
seldom came down to tbe sea/side. ITbereaf ter tbey
needs must dance togetber, & would bave bad Rall-
blitbe dance witb tbem ; and wben be naysaid tbem

J34

because be was fain of bis worh, in all playfulness
tbey fell to taking tbeadzefromout bisband,wbere/
at be became somewbat wrotb, and tbey were afraid
and went and bad tbeir dance out witbout bim,

Y tbis time tbe sun was grown very bot,and
tbcy came to bim again, and lay down about
bim & watcbed bis work, for tbey were weary.
Hnd one of tbe women, still panting witb tbe dance,
spake as sbe looked on tbe loveliness of ber limbs,
wbicb one of tbe swains was caressing: ''Brotber,"
said sbe, *' great strokes tbou smitest; wben wilt
tbou bave smitten tbe last of tbem,and come to our
bouse again ?'*j^*']Sot for many days, fair sister,"
said be, witbout looking up J^ '*Hlas tbat tbou
sbouldst talk so," said a carle, rising up from tbe
warm sand ; ''wbat sball all tby toil win tbee ? "JS^
Spake Hallblitbe: ''JMaybe a merry beart, or maybe
deatb/'

jtr tbat word tbey all rose up togctber, and
stood buddled togetber like sbeep tbat bave
been driven to tbe croft/gate, and tbe sbep-
berd batb left tbem for a little and tbey know not
wbitber to go. Little by little tbey got tbem to tbe
wain and bamessed tbeir beasts thereto, & departed
silently by tbeway tbat tbey bad come; but in a little
time Rallblitbe beard tbeir lau^bter & merry spcecb
across tbe flowery meadows. f5e beeded tbeir depar-
ture little, but went on working, and worked tbe sun
down, and on till tbe stars began to twinkle, t^ben
be went bome to bis bouse in tbe wood, & slept and
dreamed not, and began again on tbe morrow witb
a good beart.

k4 135

^O be short, no day passed that be

wrougbtnot bis full taleof work, and

tbe days wore, and bis shipwright's

work throve. Often tbe folk of that

house, and from otherwhere round

about, came down to the strand to

watch him working. ]Vo wise did they wilfully binder

him, but whiles when they could get no talk from

him, they would speak of him to each other, won-

Mering that be should so toil to sail upon tbe sea;

for they loved the sea but little, and it soon became

clear to them that he was looking to nought else:

though it may not besaid that they deemed he would

leave the land for ever. On the other hand, if they

hindered him not,neitherdid they help, saving when

^he prayed them forsomewbatwhichbeneeded, which

they would then give him blithely.

jf tbe Sea/eagle and his damsel, Hallblithe
saw nought; whereat be was well content,
for he deemed itof no avail to make a second
(i^J) sundering of itj^So he worked and kept bis heart
up, & at last all was ready ; be bad made him a mast
and a sail, and oars, an dwbatso/other gear there was
need of. So then be thrust bis skiff into tbe sea on
an evening whenas there were but two carles stand-
ing by; for there would often be a score or two of
folk. Tlhese two smiled on him and bespake him
kindly, but would not help him when he bade them
set shoulder to her bows and shove. Hlbeit be got
the skiff into the water without much ado, and got
into her, and brought her to where a stream running
from out of bis wood made a little haven for her up
from the sea. Xlbere be tied her to a tree/bole, and
06

busied himself that even with getting the gear into
ber, & victual & water witbal, as mucb as be deemed
be sbould need: and so, being weary, be went to bis
bouse to sleep, tbinhing tbat besbould awake in tbe
grey of tbe morning & tbrust out into tbe deep sea.
Hnd be was tbe more content to abide, because on
tbat eve, as of ten est betid, tbe wind blew landward
from tbe sea, wbereas in tbe morning it often est
blew seaward from tbe land. In any casebetbougbt
to be astir so timely tbat be sbould come alone to
bis keel, and depart witb no leave/takings. But, as it
fell out, be overslept bimself,so tbat wben be came
out into tbe wood clad in all bis armour, witb bis
sword girt to bis side, & bis s pear over bis sboulder,
be beard tbe voices of folk, and presently found so
many gathered about bis boat tbat be bad some ado
to get aboard.

\T)S folk bad brought many gifts for him of
such things as they deemed be might need
for a short voyage, as fruit and wine, and
woollen cloths to keep tbe cold night from him ; be
thanked them kindly as be stepped over tbe gunwale,
and some of tbe women kissed him: and one said
(sheit was, who bad met him at the stead tbat morn-
ing wben be went to fetch timber): 'Xbou wilt be
back this even, wilt thou not, brother? It is yet but
early, & thou sbalt have time enough to take all thy
pleasure on tbe sea, and then come back to us to cat
thy meat in our bouse at nightfall."

~ pS spake, knitting her brows in longing
for bis return; but be knew tbat all those
deemed be would come back again soon ; else
bad they deemed him a rebelof tbe King, and might,

137

as be thought, have stayed him. So he changed not
countenance in any wise, but said only: '* farewell,
sister, for this day, & farewell to all you till 1 come
bach/' XTherewith he unmoored his boat, & sat down
and took the oars, and rowed till he was out of the
little haven, and on the green sea, and the heel rose
and fell on thewavesXhen he stepped the mast and
hoisted sail, & sheeted home, for the morning wind
was blowing gently from the mountains over the
meadows of the Glittering plain, so the sail filled,
and the heel leapt forward and sped over the face of
the cold sea.Hnd it is to be said thatwhetherhewot/
ted or not, it was the very day twelve months since
he had come to that shore along with the Sea/eagle.
So that folh stood and watched the shifl" growing
lessand less upon the deep till they could scarce see
herXhen they turnedabout and went into the wood
to disport them, for the sun was growing hot. JSevcr/
theless, there were some of them (and that damsel
was one), who came bach to the sea/shore from time
to time all day long; & even when the sun was down
they loohed seaward under the rising moon, expect-
ing to see Rallblithe's barh come into the shining
path which she drew across the waters round about
the Glittering plain.

138

Chapter XX. So now sailctb nallblitbc away from

the Glittering piain^^

\UX1 as to Rallblitbc, besoon lost sigbt
of tbe Glittering plain and tbe moun-
tains tbereof, and tbere was nougbt
but sea all round about bim, and bis
beart filled witb joy as be sniffed tbe
brine and watcbed tbe gleaming bills

and valleys of tbe restless deep; & be said to bim-

self that be was going home to bis Kindred andtbe
Roof of bis f atbers of old timejjS^Re stood as near
due nortb as be migbt; but as tbe day wore, tbe
wind beaded bim,and be deemed it not well to beat,
lest be sbould make bis voyage overlong; so be ran
on witb tbe wind abeam, & bis little craft leapt mer-
rily over tbe sea/bills under tbe fresbening breeze,
tlbe sun set, and tbe moon and stars sbone out,
and be still sailed on, and durst not sleep, save as
a dog does, witb one eye. Ht last came dawn, and as
tbe ligbt grew it was a fair day witb a falling wind,
and a brigbt sky, but it clouded over before sunset,
andtbe wind fresbened from tbenortbby east, and,
would be, would be not, Hallblitbe must run before
it nigbt/long, till at sunrise it fell again, and all day
was too ligbt for bim to make mucb way beating to
nortbward; nor did it fresben till after tbe moon was
risen some wbile after sunsetj^Hnd now be was so
weary tbat be must needs sleep; so be lasbed tbe
belm, and took a reef in tbe sail, and ran before tbe
wind, be sleeping in tbe stern.
^^^ |ClTr past tbe middle of tbe nigbt, towards
tbe dawning, be awoke witb tbe sound of a
great sbout in bis ears. So be looked over tbe
darkwaters, &8awnougbt, for tbenigbtwas cloudy
again. tiben be trimmed bis craft, and went to sleep
again^forbewas overburdened witb slumber.
'-'•^"'^'^■^"^'^^'nSIV be awoke it was broad day ligbt;
so be looked to tbe tiller and got tbe
boaf s bead a little up to tbe wind,&
tben gazed about bim witb tbe sleep
still in bis eyes. Hndasbis eyes took
in tbe picture before bim be could not

refrain a cry ; for lo t there arose up great & grim right
ahead the black clifFe of thclsleofRansom.Straight-
way he got to the sheet, & strove to wear the boat ; but
for all that he could do she drifted toward the land,
for she was gotten into a strong current of the sea
that set shoreward. So he struck sail, and took the
oars and rowed mightily so that he might bear her
off shore; but it availed nothing, & still he drifted
landward.

\0 he stood up from the oars,& turned about
land looked, and saw that he was but some
three furlongs from the shore, and that he
wascome to thevery haven/mouth whence he hadset
sail with the Sea/eagle a twelvemonth ago: and he
knew that into that haven he needs must get him, or
be dashed to pieces against the high cliffs of the land:
and he saw how the waves ran on to the cliffs, and
whiles one higher than the others smote the rock-
wall an d ran u p it, as if it cou Id dim b over on to the
grassy lip beyond, and then fell back again, leaving
a river of brine running down the steep J^ 'Chen he
saidthathewouldtakewhatmightbefall him inside
the haven. So he hoisted sail again, & took the tiller,
and steered right for the midmost of the gate be-
tween the rocks, wondering what should await him
there. XThen it was but a few minutes ere his bark
shot into the smoothness of the haven, and pre-
sently began to lose way; for all the wind was ciead
within that land/locked water JP Hallblithe looked
steadily round about seeking his foe; but the haven
was empty of ship or boat; so he ran his eye along
the shore to see where he should best lay his keel;
and as aforesaid there was no beach there, and the

141

watcrwasdccprigbtupto the grassy Upoftbc land;
^^\\ though the tides ran somewhat high, and at low
water would a little steep underclifF go up from the
(face of the sea. But now it was near the top of the
tide, and there was scarce two feet betwixt the grass
and the darh/green sea.

|OCCl Rallblithe steered toward an ingle
of the haven ; & beyond it, a little way
off, roseareef of rocksoutof the green
y grass, & thereby was a flock of sheep
reeding, and a big man lying down a-
mongst them, who seemed to be un-
armed, as Rallblithe could not sec any glint of steel
about him.

^HLLBH^RGdrew nigh the shore,andthe
big man stirred not; nor did he any themore

dlwhen the keel ran along the shore, and Rail-
blithe leapt out and moored his craft to his spear
stuck deep in the earth. Hnd now Rallblithe deems
that the man must be either dead or asleep : so he
drew his sword and had it in his right hand, & in his
left a sharp knife, &went straight up to the man be-
twixt the sheep, and found him so lying on his side
that he could not see his face; so he stirred him with
his f oot,& criedout: ''Hwake, O Shepherd I for dawn
is long past & day is come, and therewithal a guest
fortheet'Xheman turned over &slowly sat up,and,
lo t who should it be but the puny fox ? Rallblithe
startedbackatthe sight of him, andcriedoutathim,
andsaid:'' Rave I found thee, O mine enemy?"
^p^^RB Puny fox sat up a little straighter, and
■fe^ rubbed his eyes and said: ''Y^^^ ^^^" ^^^^
^^g^l found me sure enough. But as to my being
142

tbinc enemy, a word or two may be said about tbat
prescn tly " j^*' Cdbat ! " said Hallblitbe, '* dost tbou
deem tbat augbt save my swordwill speak to tbee?''
jj^*'I wot not/' said tbe puny fox, slowly rising to
bis feet, ''but 1 suppose tbou wilt not slay me un-
armed, and tbou seest tbat X bave no weapons "j!^
''Get tbee weapons, tben," quotb Rallblitbe, "and
delay not; for tbe sigbt of tbee alive sickens r\\c''j^
"111 is tbat,'' said tbe puny fox, "but come tbou
witb me at once, wbere 1 sball find botb tbe weapons
and a good figbting/stead, Hasten! time pressetb,
now tbou art come at last"j^"Hnd my boat?" said
Rallblitbe j^"QIilt tbou carry ber in tby poucb?"
said tbe puny fox; "tbou wilt not need ber again,
wbctber tbou slay me, or 1 tbee/'

RHLLBUXTRG knit bis brows on bim in bis
wratb; for bedeemed tbat fox'smeaningwas
to tbreaten bim witb tbe vengeance of tbe
kindred. Rowbeit, be said nougbt; for be deemed it
ill to wrangle in words witb one wbom be was pre-
sently to meet in battle; so be followed as tbe puny
fox led. fox brougbt bim pasttbereef of rock afore-
said, and up a narrow cleft of tbe cliffs overlooking
tbe sea, wbereby tbey came into a little grass/grown
meadow wellnigb round in sbape, as smootb& level
as a ball/floor, and fenced about by a wall of rock : a
placewbicbbad once been tbemoutbof aneartb/fire,
and a cauldron of molten stone.

IRB]^ tbey stood on tbe smootb grass fox

said: " Rold tbee tbere a little, wbile 1 go to
my weapon/cbest, & tben sball we see wbat
is to be done."irberewitbbe turned aside to a cranny
of tbe rock, and going down on bis bands & knees,

143

fell to creeping like a worm up a bole therein, which
bclihe led to a cavern ; for after his voice had come
forth from the earth, grunting and groaning, and
cureing this thing, and that, out he comes again feet
first, and casts down an old rusty sword without a
sheath ; a helm no less rusty, & battered withal, and
aroundtarget,curledupandout/womasif itwould
fall to pieces ofitselfXhen he stands up & stretches
himself, & smiles pleasantly on Hallblitheand says :
''J^ow, mine enemy, when 1 have donned helm and
shield and got my sword in hand, we may begin the
play:a6toahauberkImustneedsgolack;fortcould
not come by it;X think the old man must have chaf-
fered it away : he was ever too money/fain/'
j^^^Qtr Rallblithe looked on him angrily and
ll^i said: '' Hast thou brought me hither to mock
^^Sl me?Rast thou no better weapons wherewith
to meet a warrior of the Raven than these rusty
shards, which look asif thou hastrobbed a grave of
the dead?! will not fight thee so armed "j^'*(ilell/'
said the puny fox, *' and from out of a grave come
they verily: for in that little hole lieth my father's
grandsire, the great Sea/mew of the Ravagers, the
father of that Sea/eagle whom thou knowest. But
sincethouthinkestscornoftheseweaponsof adead
warrior, in go the old carle's treasures again tit is as
well maybe ; since he might be wrath beyond his won t
if he were to wake and miss them ; and already this
cold cup of the once/boiling rock is not wholly safe
because of him/'

O he crept into the hole once more, and out

of it presently, andstoodsmitinghis palms

^one against the other to dust them, like a

H4

man who has been handling parchments long laid
by ; and Rallblithc stood lookingat him, still wrath-
ful, but silent.

JRBJV said the puny fox : '' ^his at least was
:i a wise word of thine, that thou wouldst not
fight me. for the end of fighting is slaying;
and it is stark folly to fight without slaying; and
now! see that thou desircst not to slay me: for if
thou didst,why dost thou refuse to fallonmearmed
with the ghosts of weapons that X borrowed from
a ghost ?JVay, why didst thou not slay me asl crept
out of yonder hole ?^hou wouldst have had a cheap
bargain of me either way. tt would be rank folly to
fight me*'j^Said Hallblithe hoarsely: *'^hy didst
thou bewray me, & lie to me, and lure me away from
the quest of my beloved, and waste a whole year of
my life?"jS?''ltis a long story,'' said thepuny fox,
''whichlmay tell thee someday. jVIcantimclmay tell
thee this, that 1 was compelled thereto by one far
mightier than 1, to wit the Gndying King."

'\C that word the smouldering wrath blazed
up in Rallblithe, & he drew his sword hastily
yj&^v^ and hewed at the puny fox: but he leapt a-

side nimbly and ran in on Hallblithe, and caught his
sword/arm by the wrist, & tore the weapon out of his
hand, and overbore him by sheer weight and stature,
and drave him to the earth, tlhen he rose up, and let
Hallblithc rise also, and took his sword and gave it
into his hand again and said: *'Crag/n ester, thou
art wrathful, but little. ]Vow thou hast thy sword
again and mayst slay me if thou wilt. Y^t not until
X have spoken a word to thee : so hearken t or else by
the XTreasure of the Sea Iwill slay thee with my bare

I H5

bands, for lam strong indeed in this place with my
old hinstnan beside me. Cdilt tbou bearhen ?"

peHK/' said Hallblitbe, 'l bearhen.'Said

tbe puny fox : '* ITrue it is tbat 1 lured tbee

away from tby quest, and wore away a year

of tby life. Yet true itis also tbatlrepentmetbercof,

and ask tby pardon, ^bat say est tbou ? ''

»^^dHLLBLX€ne spake not, but tbe beat died

IJMK out of bis face and be was become somewbat

ivA^J pale. Said tbe Puny fox: '*Dost tbou not

remcmber^O Raven, bow tbou badestme battle last
year on tbe sea/sbore by tbe side of tbe Rollers of
tbe Raven ? and bow tbis was to be tbe prize of battle,
tbat tbe vanquisbed sbould serve tbe vanquisber
year/long, and do all bis will? Hnd now tbis prize
and more tbou bast won witbout battle; fori swear
by tbe ^Treasure of tbe Sea, and by tbe bones of tbe
great Sea/mew yonder, tbati will serve tbeenotyear/
long but life/long, and tbat 1 will belp tbee in tby
quest for tby beloved, ^bat sayest tbou ?''

HLLBLXTIRC stood speecbless a moment,
looking past tbe puny fox, ratber tban at
HI bim.Oen tbe sword tumbled out of bis band
on to tbe grass, & great tears rolled down bis cbeeks
andfellontobisraiment,andbereacbedoutbisband
to tbe puny fox and said: '*0 friend, wilt tbou not
bring me to ber ? for tbe days wear, and tbe trees are
growing old round about tbe Hcres of tbe Raven."
^^^nSJV tbe puny fox took bis band, & laugbed
^^ii merrily in bis face, and said : *' Great is tbine
^^^ bearttO carrion/biter t But now tbat tbou art

my friend! will tell tbee tbatXbave a deeming of tbe
whereabouts of tby beloved. Or wberc deemest tbou
146

was tbc garden wherein tbousawcstbcr standing on
the page of the booh in tbat dream of tbe nigbt ?So
it is, O Raven/son, tbat it is not for notbing tbat
my grandsire's fatber lictb in yonder bole of tbc
rocks; for of late be batb made me wise in migbty
loreXbanhs bave tbou, O kinsman t "Hnd be turned
bim toward tbe rock wberein was tbe grave. Bu t Hall-
blitbe said :'' 03bat is to do now ?Hmlnot in a land
of f oemen ? "j?'' yea, f orsootb/' said tbe puny fox,
*'and even if tbou knewest wbere tby love is, tbou
sbouldst bardly escape from tbis isle unslain, save
for me/'jj^Saicl Rallblitbe: **Xs tbere not my bark,
tbat 1 migbt depart at once ? f orldeem not tbat tbe
Hostage is on tbe Isle of Ransom/'
^^^RG Puny fox laugbed boisterously & said:
1^^ '*)^ay,sbe is not But as to tby boat, tbereis
t^^^gj^ so strong a set of tbe flood/ tide toward tbis
end of tbe isle, tbat witb tbe wind blowing as now,
from tbe nortb/nortb/east, tbou mayst not get ofl^
tbe sbore for four bours at least, andlmisdoubtme
tbat witbin tbat time we sball bave tidings of a sbip
of ours coming into tbe bavenXby bark tbey sball
take, and tbee also if tbou art tberein ; and tben soon
were tbe story told, for tbey know tbee for a rebel of
tbe Qn dying King. Hearken I Dost tbou not bear tbe
born's voice? Come up bitber and we sball see wbat
is towards/'

\0 saying, be led bastily up a kind of stair in

tbe rock/wall, until tbey reacbed a cranny,

wbence tbrougb a bole in tbe clifl^, tbey could

see all over tbe baven. Hnd lot as tbey looked, in tbc

very gate and entry of it came a great sbip beaving

up bcr bows on tbe last swell of tbe outer sea (wbere

1 2 147

tbc wind bad riecn somewhat), and rolling into the
smooth, land/locked water. Black was her sail, and
the image of the Sea/eagle en wrought thereon spread
wide over it; and the banner of the flaming Sword
streamed out from the stern. )VIany men all/weapon-
ed were on the decks, and the minstrels high up on
the poop were blowing a merry song of return on
their battle/horns.

5^g^O, you/' said the puny fox, ''thy luck or
■jI^iH "^^"^ ^^^^ served thee this time, in that the
2^s3 flaming Sword did not overhaul thee ere
thou madest the haven. <GCIe are well here at least "j^
Said nallblithe: ''But may not some of them come
up hither perchance ?'*^"f^ay, nay/* said the puny
fox; " they fear the old man in the cleft yonder; for
he is not over guest/fain. XTbis mead is mineown,as
for other living men ; itis my unroof ed house, and 1
have here a house with a roof also, whichl will show
thee presently, for now since the flaming Sword
bath come, there is no need for haste ; nay, we cannot
depart till they have gone up/country.SoXwillshow
thee presently what we shall do to/night."
^^^jO theretheysatandwatchedthosemen bring
!^^|| their ship to the shore and moor her hard by
^^^ Hallblithe's boat, tlbey cried out when they
saw her, & when they were aland they gathered about
her to note her build, and the fashion of the spear
whereto she was tied. Chen in a while the more part
of them , som e four/score in n um ber, departed u p the
valley toward the great housed left none but a half
dozen ship/warders behind j!^"Seest thou, friend
of the Ravens," said the fox, " bads t thou been there,
they might have don e with thee what they wou Id. Did
148

Inotwell to bring tbcc in to my unroofed house?" JP
''Y^a, verily,'' eaid Rallblitbc; '' but will not some of
tbc sbip/wards, or some of tbc otbcrs returning,
come up bitber and find us ? X sballyet lay my bones
in tbis evil island/'jS^tlbe puny fox laugbed & said:
''It is not so bad as tby sour looks would bave it;
anybow it is good enougb for a grave, and at tbis
present 1 may call it a casket of precious tbings/'
*'^bat meanest tbou?" said Rallblitbe eagerly j^
*' ]^ay, nay,'' said tbe otber, '' nougbt but wbat tbou
knowest* Hrt tbou not tberein, and 1 myself; witb-
out reckoning tbe old carle in tbc bole yonder. But 1
promise tbee tbou sbalt not die bere tbis time, unless
tbou wilt. Hnd as to folk coming up bitber, 1 tell
tbeeagain tbey durstnot; because tbey fear my great/
grand/sire over mucb. ]Vot tbat tbey are far wrong
tberein ; for now beis dead, tbe worstof bim seemetb
to come out of bim, and be is not easily dealt witb,
save by one wbo batb some sbare of bis wisdom.
Cbou tbyself couldst see by my kinsman, tbe Sea/
eagle, bow mucb of ill blood and cburlisb malice
tbere may be in our kindred wben tbey wax old, and
loneliness and dreariness taketb bold of tbem. for
1 must tell tbee tbat I bave oft beard my f atber say
tbat bis f atber tbe Sea/eagle was in bis youtb and
bis prime blitbe and buxom, a great lover of wo-
men, and a very friendly fellow. But ever, as I say, as
tbe men of our kind wax in years, tbey worsen ; and
tbereby mayst tbou deem bow bad tbc old man in
yonder must be, since be batb lain so long in tbe
grave. But now we will go to tbat bouse of mine on
tbe otber side of tbe mead, over against my kins-

man's."

Is 149

ineaeGircn be Ud nallbUtbc down from
tbcrock,wbilc Rallblitbcsaid to bim: '* Cdbat t
art tbou also dead tbat tbou bast a grave
bere?"j^'*J^ay, nay/' said fox, smiling, ''am X so
evil/conditioned tben ? 1 am no older tban tbou art"
j^'^But tell me/' said Hallblitbe, ''wilt tbou also
wax evilas tbou growestold?"j^" jyiaybe not,"said
fox, looking bard at bim, "for in my mind it is tbat
1 maybe taken into anotbcr bouse, and anotber kin-
dred, and amongst tbem Isball be bealed of mucb
tbatmigbt turn to ill/'

^■^inBRBCdrcn were tbey come across tbe
Ik^^ little meadow to a place wbere was a cave in
^^^ tbe rock closed witb a door, and a wicket win-
dow tberein» f ox led Hallblitbe into it, and witbin it
was no ill dwelling; for it was dry and clean, &tberc
were stools tberein and a table, & sbelvesand lockers
in tbewalL^Obcn tbey bad sat tbem down fox said:
" Here mi^btst tbou dwell safely as long as tbou
wouldst,if tbou wouldst risk dealings witb tbe old
carle. But, as 1 wot well tbat tbou art in baste to be
goneandgetbometotbykindred,lmustbringtbec
at dusk to/day close up to our feast/ball, so tbat
tbou mayst be at band to do wbat batb to be done
to/nigbt, so tbat we may get us gone to/morrow.
Hlso tbou must do off tby Raven gear lest we meet
any in tbe twiligbt as we go up to tbe bouse; & bere
bave Ito band bome/spun raiment sucb as our war/
taken tbralls wear, wbicb sball serve tby turn well
cnougb; but tbis tbou needst not do on till tbe time
is at band for our departure; and tben 1 will bring
tbee away, and bestow tbee in a bower bard by tbe
ball; and wben tbou art witbin, 1 may so look to it
150

that none shall go in there, or if they do^ they shall
see nought in thee save a carle known to them by
name. )Vly kinsman hath learned me to harder things
than this. But now it is time to eat and drink/'

\T)SR€r<nXCr> he drew victual from out a
locker and they fell to. But when they had
eaten, fox taught Hallblithe what he should
do in the hall that night, as shall be told hereafter.
Hnd then, with much talk about many things, they
wore away the day in that ancient cup of the seething
rock, <& a little before dusk set out for the hall, bear-
ing with them Rallblithe's gear bundled up together,
as though it had been wares from over sea. So they
came to the house before the tables were set, and the
Puny fox bestowed Hallblithe in a bower which gfave
into the buttery, so that it was easy to go straight
into the mid/most of the hall. T^here was Rallblithe
clad and armed in his Raven gear; but fox gave him
avizard to go over his face, so that none might know
him when he entered therein.

1 4 »5<

cordingf to custom & said: *' Rcarkcn,folkf this is a
nigbt of tbc cbam pious, wbcrconwc may not cat till
tbc pale blades bavc clasbcd togctbcr, and one batb
vanquisbcd &anotbcr been overcome. )Vow let tbem
stand f ortb and give out tbc prize of victorywbicb
tbe vanquisbcd sball pay to tbc vanquisber.Hnd let
it be known, tbat, wbosoever may be tbe cbampion
tbat winnetb tbe battle, wbetber be be a kinsman, or
an alien, or a foeman declared; yea, tbougb be bave
left tbe bead of my brotber at tbe ball/door, be sball
pass tbis nigbt witb us safe from sword, safe from
axe, safe from band: be sball eat as we eat, drink as
we drink, sleep as we sleep, & depart safe from any
band or weapon, & sball sail tbe sea at bis pleasure
in bis own keel or in ours, as to bim and us may be
meet. Blow up borns for tbe cbampionst"

O tbe boms blew a cbeerf ul strain, and wben
tbey were done, tberc came into tbe ball a tall
man clad in black, andwitb black armour and
weapons savinof tbe wbite blade of bis sword. He bad
a vizard over bis face, but bis bair came down from
under bis belm like tbe tail of a red borse.

(O be stood amidst tbe floor and cried out:
**Xam tbe cbampion of tbeRavagers.ButI
I swear by tbe Oeasure of tbe Sea tbat I will
cross no blade to/nigbt save witb an alien, a foeman
of tbe kindred, nearest tbou, O cbief tain, O 6m e of
tbe Sea/eagles?"

jBHRitldo,'' said tbe cbief tain, ''andldeem
tbat tby meaning is tbatwe sbould go sup-
perless to bed ; and tbis cometb of tby per-
versity: for we know tbee despite tby vizard. Belike
tbou deemest tbat tbou sbalt not be met tbis even,

«53

and that there is no free alien in the island to draw
sword against tbee. But beware! for when we came
aland this morningwe found a skiff of the aliens tied
to a great spear stuck in the bank of the baven ; so
tbat tbere will be one f oeinan at least abroad in the
island. But we said tbat if we sbould come on tbe
man, we would set bis bead on tbe gable of tbe ball
witb tbe moutb open toward tbe JVortb for a token
of reproacb to tbe dwellers in tbe land over sea. But
now give out tbe prize of victory, and 1 swear by tbe
XTreasure of tbe Sea tbat we will abide by tby word/*
g^^lHlD tbe cbampion : '' tibese are tbe terms &
1^^^ conditions of tbe battle; tbat wbicbso of us
^^?^ is vanquished, be sball either die, or serve tbe
vanquisher for twelve moons, to fare witb him at bis
will, to go bis errands, & do according to bis com-
mandment in all wise, nearest thou, chieftain ?''j^
''Y^^/' said be, ''& by theClndying King, both thou
and we sball abide by this bargain. So look to it that
thou smite great strokes, lest our hall lack a gable-
knop. Horns, blowup forthealien cbampion f'i^So
again tbe horns were winded; and ere their voice bad
died, in from the buttery screens came a glittering
image of war, and there stood tbe alien champion
over against the warrior of the sea; and he too had
a vizard over his face.

O^ when the folk saw him, &how slim and
li^bt and small he looked beside their cham-
pion, and they beheld the Raven painted on
his white shield, they hooted and laughed for scorn
of him and bis littleness. But he tossed bis sword
up lightly and caught it by tbe hilts as it fell, and
drew nigber to the champion of tbe sea and stood
154

facing him within reach of his sword j!? tlhcn the
chieftain on the high/scat put his two hands to his
mouth and roared out: ''fall on, ye champions, fall
onf'

UTl the folk in the hall were so eager that they
stood on the benches and the boards, and
craned over each other's shoulders, so that
they might losenowhitof the hand/play. J^owfiash-
ed the blades in the candle/lit hall, and the red/haired
champion hove up his sword and smote two great
strokes to right and to left; but the alien gave way
before him, & the folk cried out at him in scorn and
in joy of their champion, who fell to raining down
great strokes like the hail amidst the lightning. But
sodeftwasthealien, that hestoodamidst it unhurt,
and laid many strokes on his foeman,and did all so
lightly & easily, that it seemed as if he were dancing
rather than fighting; and the folk held their peace
and began to doubt if their huge champion would
prevail ]N^ow the red/haired fetched a mighty stroke
at the alien, who leapt aside lightly & gat his sword
in his left hand & dealt a great stroke on the other's
head, and the red/haired staggered, for he had over-
reached himself; & again the alien smote him a left-
handed stroke so that he fell full length on the floor
with a mighty clatter, and the sword flew out of his
hand: and the folk were dumb/founded.

|r)B]V the alien threw himself on the sea-
champion,and knelt upon him, & shortened

his sword as if to slay him with a thrust.

But thereon the man overthrown cried out: ''Hold
thine hand, fori am vanquished ! ]^ow give me peace
according to the bargain struck between us, thatl

155

^eball serve tbee year/long, and follow tbee wbereso-
^cvcr tbou goc9t/'

^^^nBRBOTlTrR tbe alien cbampion arose and
|i^§j| stood off from bim, and tbe man of tbe sea
i^^j^ gat to bis feet, and did off bis belm, so tbat
all men could see tbat be was tbe puny fox*
^^^ Jt^i^RBJS tbe victorious cbampion unbelm/
ed bimself, and lo, it was Hallblitbet
Hnd a sbout arose in tbe ball, part of
wonder,partof wratbjfftlben cried out
tbe puny fox :'*! call on allmenbereto
bear witness tbat by reason of tbis bat/
tie, Rallblitbe of tbe Raven s is free to come & go as be
(will in tbelsle of Ransom,&totake belpof anyman
'tbat will belp bim, & to depart from tbe islewben be
will & bow be will, taking me witb bim if so be will"
j^Said tbe cbief tain : *' Y^^^ ^^^^ ^^ rigbt & due, and
so sball it be. But now, since nof reeman,wbo is not
a foe of tbe passing bour, may abide in our ball witb-
out eatingof our meat, come up bere, Hallblitbe, and
sit by me, & eat and drink of tbe best we bave, since
tbe JNfoms would not give us tbine bead for a gable-
knop. But wbat wilt tbou do witb tby tbrall tbepuny
fox ; & wbereto in tbe ball wilt tbou bave bim sbown ?
Or wilt tbou tbat be sit fasting in tbe darkness to-
nigbt, laid in gyves and fetters ? Or sball be bave tbe
cbeerofwbippingand stripes, as befittetb a tbrall to
wbom tbe master owetb a grudge? ^bat is tby will
witb bim ? " j^Said Hallblitbe : ^* JVIy will is tbat tbou
give bim a seat next to me, wbetber tbat be bigb or
low, or tbe ben cb of tby prison/bouseXbat be eat of
my disb, and drink of my cup, wbatsoever tbe meat
& drink may be. f orto/morrowXmean tbat we twain
156

shall go under tbc cartb/collar together, and that our
blood shall run together <& that we shall be brothers
in arms henceforward/' ^hen Rallblithe did on his
helm again and drew his sword, and looked aside to
the puny fox to bid him do the like, and he did so,
&r)allblithe said: ''Chieftain, thou hast bidden me
to table, and X thank thee ; butlwill not set my teeth
in meat, out of our own house and land, which hath
not been truly given tome by one who wotteth of me,
un less 1 have conquered it as a prey of battle ; neither
will 1 cast a lie into the loving/cupwhich shall pass
from thy lips to mine: therefore twill tell thee, that
though 1 laid a stroke or two on the puny fox, and
those no light ones,yet was this battle nought true
and real, but a mere beguiling, even as that which 1
saw foughten in this hall aforetime, when meseem-
eth the slain men rose up in time to drink the good-
night cupXherefore,Omen of theRavagers,&thou,
O Puny fox,there is nought to bind your hands and
refrain your hearts, & ye may slay me if ye will with-
out murder ordishonour, and may make the head of
Rallblithe a knop for your feast/hall. Y^t shall one
or two fall to earth before X fall/'

mSRSmXCT) he shook his sword aloft, &
a great roar arose, and weapons came down
from the wall, & the candles shone on naked

i

steel. But the puny fox came & stood by Hallblithe,
and spake in bis ear amidst the uproar: ''^ell now,
brother/in/arms, X have been trying to learn thee the
lore of lies, & surely thou art the worst scholar who
was ever smitten by master. Hnd the outcome of it
is that X, who have lied so long and well, must now
pay for all, and die for a barren truth"jj^Said Hall-

<57

blitbc : '* Let all be as it will 1 1 love tbee, lies and all ;
but as for me X cannot bandle tbem. Lo you t great
and grim sball be tbe slaying, and we shall not fall
unavenged '*J^ Said tbe Puny fox: '* Hearken I for
still tbey bang bach. Belike it is 1 tbat bave drawn
tbis deatb on tbee and me.jVIy last lie was a fool's lie
and we die for it : for wbat wouldst tbou bave done
badst tbou wotted tbat tby beloved, tbe Hostage of
tbe Rose :"♦.. He broke off perforce ; for Rallblitbe
was lookingtorigbt& left and bandling bis sword,
and beard not tbat last word of bis ; and from botb
sides of tbe ball tbe tbrong was drawing round a-
bout tbose twain, weapon in band. TIben Rallblitbe
set bis eyes on a big man in front wbo was beaving
up a beavy sbort/sword and tbougbt tbat be would
at least slay tbis one. But or ever be migbt smite,tbe
great born blared out over tbe tumult, and men for-
bore a wbilc and fell somewbat silent.

nej^ came down to tbem tbe voice of tbe cbief /

1

mingledwitbangerinit,andbesaid:''^bat
do tbese fools of tbe Ravagers cumbering tbe floor
of tbe feast/ball, & sbaking weapons wben tbere is
no foeman anigb? Hre tbey dreaming/drunk before
tbe wine is poured ? <Hby do tbey not sit down in
tbeir places, and abide tbe bringing in of tbe meat?
Hndyewomen,wbereareye,wbydoyedelay our meat,
wben ye may well wot tbat our bearts are drooping
for bunger ; and all batb been duly done, tbe battle
of tbe cbampions fougbt and won, and tbe prize of
war given fortb and taken ? How long,0 folk, sball
your cbief tains sit fasting ? *'J^ Xlben tbere arose
great laugbter in tbe ball, and men witbdrew tbem
158

from those twain and went and eat tbem down in
tbcir places J^ XMtw the chieftain said : ''Come up
hither,! say,0 RaUblithe,and bring thy war/thrall
with thee if thou wilt. But delay not, unless it be so
that thou art neither hungry nor thirsty; and good
sooth thou shouldst be both; for men say that the
ravens are hard to satisfy. Come then & make good
cheer with us I " So Rallblithe thrust his sword into
the sheath, and the puny fox did the like, and they
went both together up the hall to the high/seat. Hnd
Hallblithe sat down on the chieftain's right hand,
and the puny fox next to him ; and the chieftain, the
Brne,said : ''O Hallblithcdost thou need thine ar-
mour at table ; or dost thou find it handy to take thy
meat clad in thy byrny and girt with a sword ? '\0
^hen laughed Rallblithe and said : '' )Vay, meseem-
eth to/night 1 shall need war/gear no more/' Hnd he
stoodup and did ofFall his armour &gave it,sword
and all, in to the hands of a woman, who bore it off,
he knew not whither. Hnd the Grne looked on him
and said: '' ^ell is that! and nowlsee that thou art
afair young man, & it is no marvel though maidens
desire thee." Hs he spake came in the damsels with
the victual, and the cheer was exceeding good, and
Rallblithe grew light/hearted.
i^^jCrc when the healths had been drunk as a-
)X^^ foretime, and men had drunk a cup or two
^^Sl thereafter, there rose a warrior from one of
the endlong benches, a big young man, black/haired
and black/bearded, ruddy of visage, and he said in
a voice that was rough & fat : '' O Bme, and ye other
chief tains, we have been talking here at our table con-
cerning this guest of thine who hath beguiled us,

«59

and wc arc not wholly at one with tbcc a9 to tby deal-
ings withbim.TTruc it ie, now that the man batbour
meat in bie belly, tbatbe muet depart from amongst
uswitb a wbole shin, unless of bis own will be stand
up to figbt some man of us bere. Y^l^ some of us
tbink tbat be is not so mucb our friend tbat wc
sbould belp bim to a keel wbercon to fare bome to
tbose tbat bate us : and we say tbat it would not be
unlawful to let tbe man abide in tbe isle, & proclaim
bim a wolfs/bcadwitbin a balf/moon of to/day.Or
wbat sayest tbou ?"j^Said tbcGmc: '' CQaitf or my
word a wbile, and bearken to anotberl Is tbe 6rey/
goose of tbe Ravagers in tbe ball? Let bim give out
bis word on tbis matter/'

r>G]S^ arose a wbitc/bcaded carle from a table
nigb to tbe dais, wbose black raiment was
welladomedwitbgold. Despite bis years bis
face was fair & little wrinkled; a man witb a straight
noseandawell/fasbionedmoutb,andwitb eyes still
bright and grey. T)c spake: '*0 folk, 1 find tbat the
Cme bath done well in cherishing tbis guest, for
first, if be bath beguiled us, be did it not save by tbe
furtherance and sleight of ourown kinsman ; there-
fore if anyone is to die for beguiling us, let it be tbe
puny fox. Secondly, we may well wot that heavy
need bath driven tbe man to this beguilemen t ; andl
say tbat it was no unmanly deed for bim to enter
our hall and beguile us with bis sleight ; and tbatbe
bath played out tbe play right well and cunningly
with tbe wisdom of a warrior, thirdly, the manli-
ness of him is well proven, in tbat having overcome
us in sleight, he bad spoken out tbe sooth concern-
ingourbcguilemcntandhathmade himself ourfoc-
160

man and captive, when be might have eat down by us
a9 our guest, freely and in all bonour. Hnd tbis be
did, not as contemning tbe puny fox and bis lies
and crafty wiles (for be batb told us tbat be lovetb
bim); but so tbat be migbt sbow bimself a man in
tbat wbicb trietb manbood. JVloreover, ye sballnot
forget tbat be is tbe rebel of tbe Gn dying Kin g,wbo
is our lord and master; therefore in cherishing him
we sbow ourselves great/hearted, in that we fear not
tbe wrath of our master. TTberefore X naysay tbe
word of the Cdar/brand tbat we should make this
man a wolf's/bead; for in so doing we shall show
ourselves lesser/hearted than he is, & of no account
beside of him ; and bis bead on our ball/gable shou Id
be to us a nitbing/stake, and a tree of reproach. So
X bid thee, O Sme, to make much of this man ; and
thou shalt do well to give bim worthy gifts, such as
warriors may take, so tbat be may sbow them at
home in tbe Rouse of tbe Raven, that it may be tbe
beginning of peace betwixt us and his noble kin -
dred. XTbis is my say, and later on 1 shall wax no

wiser. "

\T)SKSUlXCr) be sat down, and there arose
a murmur and stir in tbe ball; but tbe more
part said tbat tbe Grey/goose bad spoken
well, and tbat it was good to be at peace with such
manly fellows as tbe new guestwas j^ But theGme
said : ** One word wilU lay hereto, to wit, tbat he who
desirethmine enmity let him do scathe to nallblithe
of the Ravens and binder bim/' Xlbcn be bade fill
roundthe cups, and calleda health toRallblitbe,and
all men drank to bim, and there was much joyance
and merriment.

m 161

UXl when the night was well worn, the
Bmc turned to Rallblitbe and said:
''Hbat was a good word of the Grey-
goose wbicb be spake concerning tne
givingof gifts: Raven/son, wilt tbou

take a gift of me and be my friend?"

jj^'^XTby friend willlbe/' said Hallblitbe, ^'but no
gift will 1 take of tbee or any otber till X bave tbc
gift of gifts, and tbat is my trotb/pligbt maiden. 1
will not be glad, tilll can be glad witb ber/' XTben
laugbed tbc Brne, and tbe puny fox grinned all a-
cross bis wide face, and Rallblitbe looked from one
to tbe otber of tbem and wondered at tbeir mirtb,
andwben tbey saw bis wondering eyes,tbey did but
laugb tbe more: and tbe Grne said: **]^evertbeless,
tbou sbalt see tbe gift wbicb Iwould give tbee; and
tben mayst tbou take it or leave it as tbou wilt. Ro ye t
bring in tbetbroneof tbe Sastlands witb tbem tbat
, minister to it t " Certain men left tbe ball as be spake,
and came back bearing witb tbem atbrone fasbioned
most goodly of ivory, parcel/gilt & begemmed, and
'adorned witb marvellous craftsmanship: and tbey
»set it down amidst of tbe ball/floor and went aback
to tbeir places, wbile tbe Bm e sat & smiled kindly on
I tbe folk and on Hallblitbeji^l^ben arose tbe sound
I of fiddles and tbe lesser barp, and tbe doors of tbe
screen were opened, and there flowed into tbe ball a
company of fair damsels not less than a score, each
Jon e witb a rose on her bosom,and tbey came & stood
in order behind tbe throne of the Bastlands, and
tbey strewed roses on the ground before tbem : and
when they were duly ranged they fell to singing :

162

OQI wanctb spring,
Cflbilc all birds sing,
Hnd tbc soutb wind blows
TTbe earliest rose
TTo and fro
By tbe doors we know,

Hnd tbe scented gale

fills every dale.

Slow now are brooks running
because of tbe weed,
I Hnd tbe tbrusb batb no cunning
to bide ber at need,
So swift as sbe flietb
from bedge/row to tree,
Hs one tbat toil trietb,
and deedf ul must be.

J^DOt tbat at last,
Hll sorrows past,

tibisnigbtllay

'I^eatb tbe oak/beams grey t
jO, to wake from sleep
Xo see dawn creep
t:brougb tbe fruitful grove
Of tbe bouse tbat X lovet

0 t my feet to be treading
tbe tbresbold once more.

O'er wbicb once went tbe leading
of swords to tbe wart

01 my feet in tbe garden's
edge under tbe sun.

^bcrc the sccdinpf grass hardens
for bayscl begun f

30, lot tbe wind blows
1 tTo tbe beart of tbe Rose,
I Hnd tbe sbip lies tied

XTo tbe baven side t

But O for tbe heel

tibe sails to feel t

Hnd tbe alien ness

Growing less and less ;

He down tbe wind drivetb
and tbrusts tbrougb tbe sea
Hbe sail/burg tbat strivetb
to turn and go free,
But tbe lads at tbe tiller
tbey bold ber in band,
Hnd tbe wind our well/willer
drives fierce to tbe land.

^IjS sball wend it yet,
rl TTbebigbway wet;
'** for wbat is tbis

^bat our bosoms kiss ?
^bat lietb sweet
Before our feet?
^bat token batb come
TToleadusbome?

Xis tbe Rose of tbe garden
walled round from tbe croft
^bere tbe grey roof its warden
steep risetb aloft,
Xis tbe Rose 'neatb tbe oaken -
^beamed ball, wbere tbey bide,

'Cbc pledges unbroken,
the band of tbe bride.

jHLLBLirne beard tbe song, and balf
tbougbt it promised bim somewbat; but
tben be bad been so misled and mocked at,
tbat be scarce knew bow to rejoice at it. f4ow tbe Gmc
spake : '' ^ilt tbou not take tbe cbair & tbese dainty
song/birds tbatstandabout it? jVIucbwealtbmigbt
comeintotbineballiftbouwerttocarrytbemoversea
to ricbmen wbobaveno kindred,noraffinity,wberein
to wed, but wbo love women as well as otber men/'
Saidnallblitbe:'*Xbavewealtbenowwereloncebome
again. Hs to tbesemaidens,! know by tbe fasbionof
tbem tbat tbey are no women of tbe Rose, as by tbeir
songtbeysbould be.Yet will! take any of tbese mai-
dens tbat bave will togowitbme&bemadesistersof
my sisters, &wedwitb tbe warriors of tbe Rose ; or if
tbey are of a kindred, & long to sit eacb in tbe bouse
of berfolk,tben will we send tbem bomeover tbe sea
witb warriors to guard tbem from all trou ble.f or tbis
gif tltbank tbee.Hs to tby tbrone,t bid tbee keep it till
a keel cometb tby way from our land, bringing fair
gifts for tbee & tbine.f or we are not so unwealtby."
]T)Sy tbat sat nearby beard bis words and
praised tbem; buttbeSrne said: ''Hll tbis
is free to tbee, & tbou mayst do wbat tbou
wilt witb tbe gifts given to tbee. Yet sbalt tbou bave
tbe tbrone; and X bave tbougbtof away tomaketbee
take it. Or wbat says t tbou. Puny fox? "j^Said tbe
Puny fox: ''Y^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^f ^^'^^ mayst, but X
tbougbt it not of tbee tbat tbou wouldst. JSowisall
weir'j^Hgain Rallblitbe looked from one to tbe
otber and wondered wbat tbey meant. But tbe Smc
m 3 165

cried out: ''Bring in now tbceittcr, who shall fill tbc
empty throne t"

nSJ^ again the ecreen/doors opened, & there
came in two weapon ed men, leading between
them a woman clad in gold and garlanded
with roses. So fair was the fashion of her face & all
her body, that her coming seemed to mahe a change
in the hall, as though thesun had shone into it sud-
denly. She trod the hall/floor with firm feet, and sat
down on the ivory chair. But even before she was
seated therein Rallblithe knew that the Hostage was
under that roof and coming toward him. Hnd the
heart rose in his breast and fluttered therein, so sore
he yearned toward the Daughter of the Rose, and his
very speech/friend. Xlbcn he heard the Sme saying,
''How now. Raven/son, wilt thou have the throne
and the sitter therein, or wilt thou gainsay me once
more?''

jneReHfXreR he himself spake, and the
sound of his voice was strange to him and
as if he hnew it not: ''Chieftain, 1 will not
gainsay thee, but will take thy gift, & thy friendship
therewith, whatsoever hath betided. Yet would X say
a word or two unto the woman that sitteth yonder,
for 1 have been straying amongst wiles & images,
&mayhappen 1 shall yet find this to be but a dream
of the night, or a beguilement of the day." tlhere-
with he arose from the table, & walked slowly down
the hall ; but it was a near thing that he did not fall
a weeping before all those aliens, so full his heart
was.

i66

G came and stood before the Hostage,
& tbeir eyes were upon each other, and
for a little while they had no words.
Hhen Rallblithe began, wondering at
his voice as he spake: ''Hrt thou a wo-
I man and my speech/friend ? for many
limages have mocked me, &1 have been en com passed
Iby lies, and led astray by behests that have not been
Tulfilled. Hnd theworld hath become strange to me,
I and empty of friends "j^tThen she said: ''Hrt thou
verily Rallblithe? fortalso have been encompassed
by lies,and beset byimagesof things unhelpfur'j^
''Y^a,"saidhe,*'XamRallblitheoftheRaven8,weari/
ed with desire for my troth/plight maiden/' IThen
came the rosy colour into the fairness of her face, as
the rising sun lighteth the garden of flowers in the
7une morning; & she said: **Xf thou art Rallblithe,
tell me what befell to the finger/gold/ring that my
mother gave me when we were both but little/'

|RB]V his face grew happy, & he smiled, and
I he said : '' I pu t it for thee one autumntide in
athe snake's hole in the bank above the river,
amidst the roots of theold thorn/tree, that the snake
might brood it, and make the gold grow greater ; but
when winter was over and we came to look for it, lot
there was neither ring nor snake, nor thorn/tree: for
the flood had washed it all away^j^Hhereat she
smiled most sweetly, <& whereas she had been look-
ing on him hitherto with strained and anxious eyes,
shenow beheld him simply and friendly; &shesaid:
''O Rallblithe,lamawoman indeed,and thy speech-
friend. XThis is the flesh that desireth thee, and the
life that is thine, and the heart which thou rejoicest.
m4 167

But now tell mc, who arc these huge images around
us, amongst whom 1 have sat thus, once in every
moon this year past, & afterwards X was tahen back
to the women's bower? Hre they men or mountain-
giants? (Hill they slay us, or shut us up from the
light and air? Or hast thou made peace with them?
CQilt thou then dwell with me here, or shall we go
bach again to Cleveland by the Sea? Hnd when, oh,
when shall we depart?" He smiled and said: ''Quick
come thy questions, beloved. Xlhcec are the folks of
the Ravagers & the Sea/eagles: they bemen, though
fierce and wild they be. Our foes they have been, and
have sundered us ; but now are they our friends, and
have brought us together. Hnd to/morrow,0 friend,
shall we depart across the waters to Cleveland by the
Sea''i7She leaned forward, and was about to speak
softly to him, but suddenly started back, and said:
* * XibcYC is a big, red/haired man , as big as any here, be-
hind thy shoulder. Is he also a friend? Qlhat would
he with us ? *'J? So Rallblithe turned about, and be-
held the puny j^ox beside him,who took up the word
andspoke,smilingasaman in great glee: ''Omaiden
of thcRosclam nallblithe's thrall,and his scholar,
to unlearn the craft of lying, whereby! have done a-
miss towards both him and thee. CHhereof 1 will tell
thee all thetale soon. ButnowXwillsaythatitis true
that we depart to/morrow for Cleveland by the Sea,
thou and he, andlin company. JVowlwould ask thee,
Hallblithcif thou woulclst have me bestow this gift
of thine in safe/ keeping to/night, since there is an
endof her sitting in the hall like a graven image: and
to/morrow the way will be long & wearisome. OThat
sayest thou ?" jj7 Said the Hostage : ''Shall I trust
168

this man &go with him?'' J^**yca, thou sbalt trust
bim/'said nallbUtbc/* for be is trusty. End even were
be not, it is meet for us of tbe Raven and tbe Rose to
do as our wortb biddetb us, & not to fear tbis folk.
Hnd it bebovetb us to do alPter tbeir customs since
we are in tbeir bouse "jj7 'Xbat is sootb/'sbe said ;
'* big man, lead me out of tbe ball to my place, f are-
well,^)allblitbe,for a littlewbile,andtben sball tbere
be no more sundering for us."

[neReOlirn sbe departed witb tbe puny
fox, & Hallblitbe went bach to tbe bigb/seat
and sat down by tbe Srne, wbo laugbed on
bim and said: *Xbou bast taken my gift, and tbat
is well: yet sball 1 tell tbee tbat 1 would not bave
given it to tbee if X could bave kept it for myself in
sucb pligbt as tbou wilt bave it. But all t could do,
and tbe puny fox to belp witbal,availedmenougbt.
So good luck go witb tbine bands. JVow will we to
bed, and to/morrow X will lead tbee out on tby way :
for to say sootb, tbere be some berewbo are not well
pleased witbeitbertbeeorme;andtbouknowesttbat
words are wasted on wilful men, but tbat deeds may
avail somewbat.'Xberewitb be cried out for tbe cup
of good/nigbt,and wben it was drunken, Hallblitbe
was sbown to a fair sbut/bed; even tbat wberein be
bad lain aforetime; and tbere bewent tosleep in joy,
and in good liking witb all men.

169

cd, but as a man and maid betrothed are wont to
do, for there were folk coming and going about the
hallXhen spake the puny fox: 'Xbe Brne is abid-
ing us out in the meadow yonder ; for now nought
will serve him but he must needs go under the earth-
collar with us. Row sayest thou, is he enough thy
friend? "Said Hallblithe, smiling on the Hostage:
''Qlhat hast thou to say to it, beloved?" '^JVought
at all," she said, '*if thou art friend to any of these
men. 1 may deem that 1 have somewhat against the
chieftain, whereof belike this big man may tell thee
hereafter; bu t even somuchmeseemeththaveagainst
this man himself, who is now become thy friend and
scholar; for he also strove for my beguilement, and
that not for himself, but for another."j^''Crue it
is," said the fox, ''that 1 did it for another; even as
yesterday! took thy mate Rallblithe out of the trap
wherein to he had strayed, and compassed his de-
liverance by means of the unfaithful battle; andeven
aslwould have stolen thee forhim,ORose/maiden,
if need had been ; yea, even if Imust have smitten in to
ruin the roof /tree of theRavagers.Hnd how could!
tell that thcSmc would give thee up unstolen ? Yea,
thou sayeth sooth, O noble and spotless maiden ; all
my deeds, both good and ill, have! done for others ;
and so ! deem it shall be while my life lastcth"^
IThen Hallblithe laughed & said :''Hrt thou nettled,
fellow/in/arms,atthewordofawomanwhoknowetb
thee not ? She shall yet be thy friend, O fox. But tell
me, beloved, ! deemed that thou hadst not seen fox
before ; how then can he have helped the Cm e agam s t
thee ? " j^ '' ^ctehc sayeth sooth," said fox,'' this was
of my sleight: for when ! had to come before her, !

171

cbangfcdmyskin^asXwcU know bow; there arc others
in this land who can do eo much as that. But what
6ayc9t thou concerning the brotherhood with the
eme?"j^''Let it be eo/'said RaUblitbe/'beis man-
ly and true,tboughma9terful,&i9nieetfortbi8 land
of bis.Xeball not fall out with him ; for seldom me-
seemeth shall 1 see the Isle of Ransom "j^ '' Hnd 1
n ever again /'said the puny fox J?* *Dos t thou loathe
it, then/' said the Hostage/' because of the evil thou
hast done therein ?"jj^ '* JVay/' said he, ''what is the
evil, when henceforth 1 shall do but good ? JNfay, I
love the land. Belike thou decmest it but dreary with
its black rocks and black sand, and treeless wind/
swept dales; butl know it in summer and winter,
and sun and shade, in storm and calm.Hnd I know
where the fathers dwelt and the sons of their sons'
sons have long lain in the earth. X have sailed its
windiest firths, and climbed its steepest crags ; and
ye may well wot that it hath a friendly face to me;
and the land/wights of the mountains will be sorry
for my departure.

O he spake,& Rallblithe would have answer-
ed him,bu t by now were they come to a grassy
hollow amidst the dale, where the Grn e had aU
ready made the earth/yoke ready.XTo wit, he had loos-
ened astripof turf all savcthe two ends,&had prop-
ped it up with two ancient dwarf /wrought spears,
80 that amidmost there was a lintel to go under. So
when he saw those others coming, he gave them the
sele of the day, and saidtonallblithe: "Cdhat is it to
be? shall 1 be less than thy brother/ in /arms hence-
forward ?" Said Rallblithe : " ]Vot a whit less. It is
good to have brothers in other lands than one " j^
172

So they made no delay, but, clad in all tbeir war/gear,
tbey went under tbe eartb/yoke one after tbe otber;
tbereafter tbey stood togetber, and eacb let blood in
bis arm, so tbat tbe blood of all tbree mingled to-
getber fell down on tbe grass of tbe ancient eartb;
and tbey swore f riendsbip and brotberbood eacb to
eacb^Butwben all wasdonetbeBme spake: '*Bro-
tber Rallblitbe,as X lay awake in bed tbis morning 1
deemed tbat 1 would take sbip witb tbee to Cleve-
land by tbe Sea, tbat Xmigbt dwell tbere a wbile.But
wben X came out of tbe ball, and saw tbe dale lying
green betwixt bill/side and bill/side, and tbe glitter-
ing river running down amidmost,^ tbe sbeep, and
kine,and borses feeding up and down on eitber side
tbe water : and 1 looked up at tbe fells and saw bow
deep blue tbey stood up against tbe snowy peaks,
and 1 tbougbt of all our deeds on tbe deep sea, and
tbe merry nigbts in yonder abode of men. Xlhcn X
tbougbt tbat X would not leave tbe kindred, were it
but for a wbile, unless war and lifting called me. So
now 1 will ride witb tbee to tbe sbip, & tben farewell
to tbee "j^ '* Xt is good,'' said Hallblitbe, '^ tbougb
not as good as it migbt be. Glad bad we been witb
tbee in tbe ball of tbe Ravens "j^ Hs be spoke drew
anigb tbe carles leading tbe borses, and witb tbem
came six of tbose damsels wbom tbeGme bad given
to Hallblitbe tbe nigbt before ; two of wbom asked
to be brougbt to tbeir kindredoversea; but tbe otber
four were fain to go witb Rallblitbe & tbe Hostage,
and become tbeir sisters at Cleveland by tbe Sea.
^^^O tben tbey got to borse and rode down tbe
^^^ dale toward tbe baven , & tbe carles rode witb
^^?3 tbem, so tbat of weaponed men tbey were a

173

ecorc in company. But when tbcy were half /way to
the haven tbey saw where hard by three knolls on the
way /side were men etandingwith their weapons and
war/gear glittering in the sun. So the Gme laughed
and said: '' Shall we have a word with CQar/brand
then ?" But they rode steadily on their way, & when
they came up to the knolls tbey saw that it was OTar-
brand indeed with a score of men at his back ; but
they stirred not when theysawBrne's company that
it was great.^hen Brne laughed aloud and cried out
in a big voice : ** ^hat, lads t ye ride early this morn-
ing ; are there foemen abroad in the isle ?"j!? Xlbcy
shrank back before him, but a carle of those who was
hindermost cried ou t : ''Hrt thou coming back to us,
Brne, or have thy new friends bought thee to lead
them in battle ?''J9 ''fear it nought," quoth Brne,
''1 shall be back before the shepherd's noon.''

jOthey went theirways and came to the haven,
and there lay the flamingSword, and beside
her a trim bark, not right great, all ready for
sea: and Hallblithe's skiff was made fast to her for
an af ter/boatjj^r^hen the Rostage & Rallblithe and
the six damsels went aboard her, and when the Brne
had bidden them farewell, they cast off the hawsers
and thrust her out through the haven /mouth; but
ere they had got midmost of the haven, they saw the
Brne, that he had turned about, and was riding up
the dale with his house/carles, and each man's wea-
pon was shining in his hand: & they wondered if he
were riding to battle with ^ar/brand; and fox said:
*' JMeseemeth our brother/in /arms hath in his mind
to give those waylayers an evil minute, and verily he
is the man to do the same/'
174

]^^^P tbcy gat tbcm out of tbc bavcn, and tbc
^^^ ebb /tide drave out seaward strongly, & tbe
H^^?^ wind was fair for Cleveland by tbe Sea; and
tbey ran speedily past tbe black cliffs of tbe Isle of
Ransom, & soon were tbey bull down bebind tbem.
But on tbe afternoon of tbe next day tbey bove up
tbe land of tbe kindreds, and by sunset tbey beacbed
tbeir sbip on tbe sand by tbe Rollers of tbe Raven,
and went asbore witbout more ado. Hnd tbe strand
was empty of all men, even as on tbe day wben Rall-
blitbe first met tbe puny fox. So tben in tbe cool of
tbe evening tbey went up toward tbe House of tbe
Raven. XTbose damsels went togetber band in band
two by two, and Rallblitbe beld tbe Hostage by tbe
band ; but tbe puny fox went alone beside tbem,
gleeful and of many words ; telling tbem tales of
bis wiles and bis craft, & bis skin/cbanging. **But
now,"quotb be,'*l bave left all tbat bebind me in tbe
Isle of Ransom, and bave but one sbape, & 1 would
for your beboof tbat it were a goodlier one : and but
one wisdom bavel, even tbat wbicb dwelletb in mine
own bead/bone. Yet it may betbat tbismay availyou
onetimeorotber.Butloyouttbougblamtbytbrall,
baveXnot tbe lookof atbrall/buckster from oversea
leading up my wares to tbe cbeaping stead ? '' tibey
laugbed at bis words an d were merry, and mucb love
tbere was amongst tbem as tbey went up to tbe Rouse
of tbe Raven.

CTCwben tbey came tbitber tbey went into tbe
gartb, & tbere was no man tberein, for it was
now dusk, and tbe windows of tbe long ball
wereyellowwitbcandle/ligbt.Trbensaidfox:^'Hbide
ye bere a little; for Iwouldgointo tbe ball alone&sec

^75

tbc conditions of tby people, O Hallblitbe "j^ ''Go
tbou,tben/'9aid Rallblitbe/' but be not rasb,! coun-
sel tbee; for our folk are not over/patient wben tbey
deem tbey bave a foe before tbem ''jj^XTbepuny f ox
laugbed, and said : ''So it is tben tbe world over, tbat
bappy men are wilful and masterful/Xben be drew
bis sword and smote on tbe door witb tbe pommel,
and tbe door opened to bim and in be went : and be
found tbat fair ball full of folk & brigbt witb can-
dles ; and be stood amidst tbe floor; all men looked
on bim, and many knew bim at once to be a man of
tbe Ravagers, and silence fell upon tbe ball, but no
man stirred band against bimXben be said : ''dill
ye bearken to tbe word of an evil man, a robber of tbc
folks ? "jff Spake a cbief tain from tbe dais : '' (Hords
will not burt us, sea/warrior ; & tbou art but one a-
mongst many; wberef ore tby migbt tbis eve is but as
tbe migbt of a new/born baby. Speak, & afterwards
cat and drin k, and depart safe from amongst us t "
^^^jpHKe tbe puny fox : ''Olbat is gone witb
[^^mRallblitbe,afairyoungmanof your kindred,
i^^S^ and witb tbe Hostage of tbe Rose, bis trotb-
pligbt maiden V'j9XLha\ was tbe busb yet greater in
tbe ball, so tbat you migbt bave beard a pin drop ; &
tbe cbief tain said: ''It is a grief of ours tbat tbey arc
gone, and tbat none batb brougbt us back tbeir dead
bodies tbat we migbt lay tbem in tbe Here of tbe f a-
tbers" j^ TTben leapt up a man from tbe end/long
table nigb to fox,and cried out: "Yea, folk I tbey arc
gone, and we deem tbat runagates of tby kindred,
O ncw/come man, bave stolen tbem from us; wbere-
for tbey sball one day pay us*'j^ Hben laugbed tbe
puny fox and said: "Some would say tbat stealing
176

HaUblitbc was like etcalinga lion, and that be migbt
take care of bimself ; tbougb be was not so big as X
am^j? Said tbe last speaker:'* Did tby kin or didst
tbou steal bim, O evil man T' J9 '* Y^^^^^ QXoXa bim/'
quotb fox, '' but by sleigbt, and not by migbt/'

nSJV uprose great uproar in tbe ball, but tbe
cbief tain on tbe bigb/seat cried out: ''peace,
a peace! "and tbe noise abated, & tbe cbief tain
said : "Dost tbou mean tbat tbou comest bitber to
give us tbine bead for making away witb Rallblitbc
& tbe Hostage ?"j!^"l mean to ask ratber,''said tbe
f ox,'' wbat tbou wilt give me for tbe bodies of tbese
twain ?''jj^ Said tbe cbief tain : "H boat/load of gold
werenot toomucbif tbou sbouldst live alittle long-
er''j!^ Quotb tbe Puny fox: "QIell,in anywiselwill
go and bring in tbe bodies aforesaid, and leave my
reward to tbe goodwill of tbe Ravens/'

IRBRe^XXTR be turned about to go, but
lo ! tbere already in tbe door stood HallbUtbe
bolding tbe Hostage by tbe band ; & many in
tbe ball saw tbem, for tbe door was wide. ITben tbey
came in and stood by tbe side of tbepuny fox, and
all men in tbe ball arose &sbou ted for joy. Butwben
tbe tumult was a little abated, tbe puny fox cried
out: "O cbief tain, & all ye folk! if a boat/load of gold
were not too mucb reward for tbe bringing back tbe
dead bodies of your friends, wbat reward sball be
bave wbo batb brou gbt back tbeir bodies & tbe sou Is
tberein?'' Said tbe chieftain :"irbe man sball cboose
bis own reward ''j^Hnd tbe men in tbe ball sbouted
tbeir yeasay.

n 177

))'//}

jne]S[ eaid the puny fox : ^^mcU, then, this
X choose, that ye mahe me one of your kin-
dred before the fathers of old time^'j^TThey
all cried out that he had chosen wisely & manfully;
but Hallblithe said : ''X bid you do for him no less
than this ; & ye shall wot that he is already my sworn
brother/in/arms^jl^JVow the chieftain cried out: ''O
dan derers from over the sea, com e u p hi ther an d sit
with us and be merry at last t "

O they wentuptothedais,r)aUblithe and the
Rostage,& the puny fox & the six maidens
withal Hnd since the night was yet young,

the supper of the men of the Ravens was turned in-
to the wedding/feast of Hallblithe and the Hostage,
and that very night she became a wife of the Ravens,
that she might bear to the Rouse the best of men &
the fairest of women.

\UXZ on the morrow they brought the Puny
fox to the mote/Stead of the hindreds that
he might stand before the fathers & be made
a son of the kindred; & this they did because of the
word of Rallblithe, and because they believed in the
tale which he told them of the Clittering plain and
theHcreoftheClndyingXhefourmaidens also were
made sisters of the House ; and the other twain were
sent home to their own kindred in all honour.

^^^f the Puny fox it is said that he soon lost
I^Nfllj and forgot all the lore which he had learned
^^^^-1 of the ancient men, living and dead; and be-

came as other men and was no wizard. Y<^t he was
exceeding valiant & doughty; and he ceased not to

'■^y//u

go with nallbUthc wheresoever be wertt; and many
deeds tbey did togetbenwbereof tbe memory of men
batb failed :butneitber tbey nor any man of tbe Ra-
vens came any more to tbe Glittering plain,or beard
any tidings of tbe folk tbat dwell there.

nSRG ends tbe tale of tbe (3litteringplain,written
by William jVIorris, & ornamented witb 23 pictures
by (Halter Crane, printed at tbe Kelmscott press,
tipper JVlall, Rammersmitb, in tbe County of JVIid-
dlesex, & finished on tbe nth day of 7^iiviary, 1894,

Sold by William jMorris, at tbe Kelmscott press.

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RARE BOOK
COLLECTION

THE LIBRARY OF THE

UNIVERSITY OK

NORTH CAROLINA

AT

CHAPEL HILL

folio
PR5079
.S7
1894

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